


A New Beginning

by pharmtechgirl71



Category: Messengers 2: The Scarecrow (2009), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-05-02 21:44:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 40,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5264780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pharmtechgirl71/pseuds/pharmtechgirl71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After John Rollins' wife and children are killed in a freak farming accident, he moves to Georgia and buys the old Greene farm. He hires Daryl Dixon to help him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I have had this idea in my head for a while now and now seems like as good a time as any to let it loose on the world. I love the movie Messengers 2, it is one of my favorite films of Norman's. If you have not seen it, I don't think it is necessary to have done so to read this fic, but why wouldn't you want to see this film? It has Norman Reedus in it, duh. I have obviously changed a few things having to do with the movie plot, but I had to. There will be future sexual situations/smut, and I will tag as I go along. Please let me know what you think by leaving a comment. It is the only way I know if I should continue with the story. I hope you enjoy! Love you all!

Chapter One

 

It had been months now since they had been killed, and he still walked into that farmhouse everyday yelling their names, so eager to see them. Every time when the realization hit him, his heart sank and he ended up a slobbering mess on the floor. He stopped going to church outright and had completely given up on his crop. John Rollins was a lost soul; he could barely function anymore.

The people he had gone to church with, the ones who loved and missed his family, would stop by to see him every now and then. They would bring words of comfort and casseroles. He ate the food, but ignored the comfort. The people he had loved most in this world were gone, killed by a man he barely knew for a reason he still didn't understand. He had been encouraged to move on with his life, but he didn't think there was any life left.

After a year, he had adjusted fairly well. He decided to sell the farm and move away. He didn't have any specific plans, but he knew he had to get away from the daily reminders and chose Georgia of all places. He had never set foot in that state, but knew there was good farmland there. The local real estate company found him a place in the middle of nowhere Georgia and he used the insurance money to purchase it. It took six weeks to pack up the house, and he was getting rid of as much as he could. Clothes and furniture went to Goodwill, he only kept Mary's wedding ring and the family photo albums. When the time came, he packed up his truck with the few items that still held value to him and drove off.

*******************************************************************

The Greene farm was in good shape, considering the fact that no one had lived there or tended to the land for the last five years. The old man had died and his daughters had fought to keep the home they had grown up in, but without the means to plant and take care of the animals, they didn't have a choice but to sell. John met the women, Maggie and Beth at the farmhouse when he arrived. They had been taking care of last minute cleaning and preparing the house for its new occupant. Maggie showed him around the house, and Beth took him out on the property. He was very impressed with the farm, it was larger than the one he had given up and he could see so much potential. "You're gonna need to hire someone pretty quick," Maggie told him, "Daddy always put up flyers down at the co-op or feed store. You're gonna get mostly high school kids, but they'll work. I know you had a farm back where you're from, but if you need any help or have any questions, you can contact me or Beth. We worked on this land too, we know it better than almost anyone."

John thanked them and moved his meager possessions into the old house. It was big with four bedrooms, a parlor, library and office. There was also a small cabin on the back of the lot, near the property line. He sat in the office for a long time making plans and writing lists; a diagram of his crops, what he would plant and where and a list of things he would need to buy, for the farm and the house. He didn't realize how long he had been sitting there until he noticed the sun setting through the window and he realized he hadn't eaten since the Greene girls had made them lunch. There wasn't any food in the house and he didn't feel like going to the store, so he called up Maggie and asked her if there was a place in town to go for dinner. She recommended Ty's Diner on Main Street, and he climbed into his truck to take a tour of town.

 

*******************************************************************

 

He didn't have any trouble finding the diner, and lucked out with a parking space right in front of the door. The restaurant was busy, but not so much that he couldn't find a place to sit right away. He spotted an open chair at the counter and took it for himself. A beautiful, grey haired woman wearing an apron came up to him and introduced herself. "Hello, my name is Carol. Do you want some coffee? Or maybe a beer? You look like you've had a tiring day."

John smirked, for the first time in a long time. "I'll just take a Coke and a burger with fries. Thanks." Carol smiled back at him and returned with his drink. 

"I don't think I've seen you before. Are you passing through or staying?" she asked as she leaned against the counter.

"I'm staying. Just moved here, I bought the old Greene farm."

"Oh, I heard Maggie and Beth finally sold the place. I knew Maggie in school, and I spent my summers in that kitchen learning how to cook and bake the most delicious peach cobbler you ever tasted. It's on the menu, you know. I put just about every recipe Annette Greene ever taught me on the menu."

"You own this place?" John asked.

"No, but I married the man who does. Ty is my husband." A young man behind the kitchen window called out to Carol that John's order was ready. He took a bite of his burger before he realized how rude he had been.

"I’m sorry, I didn't introduce myself. My name is John Rollins." Carol shook his extended hand and smiled. 

"Have you had a chance to look for farm hands yet? School's still in for another few weeks, so you might have to wait for help." Carol asked him as she refilled his drink.

"Naw, I just got into town today. Met Maggie and Beth at the farm. They said their dad used to put up flyers around town. Thought I might start on that tomorrow, but I don't think I'm gonna be able to wait until summer to start planting. You know anybody who would be interested in helping me until then?"

"I might, I'll ask around for you. Do you go to church? I think that would be a good place for you to meet everybody, if you're interested. This is a great little town, people are gonna be excited to know the farm is gonna be up and running again." John hoped she was right. He finished his meal and set off to go back to the farm when she stopped him. "Come back tomorrow, you can meet Ty. It would be nice if we could work out some kind of deal to get some of your produce when it comes in."

"Thanks a lot Carol. That would be most appreciated. It was nice meeting ya. I'll see you tomorrow."

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Later that night, after the dinner crowd had disappeared, Carol heard the bell over the door chime. She looked at her watch and knew who it was. "Hello Daryl," she said without looking at the man. He sat down at the counter, ironically on the same stool Farmer John had occupied earlier.

"Hey Carol, how are you doing?" he said as Carol sat a glass of sweet tea in front of him.

"Pretty good. How are you?"

"I'm alright. Pretty tired though. I've about had it with being cooped up in that damn office though. Shit, I didn't realize Merle was a real business man you know. Thought all that stuff about going to meetings was bullshit, didn't know I'd have to dress up for it." He loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt. He was now the sole owner and proprietor of Dixon's Auto’s, the third highest rated auto dealership in the state. Merle was the one with the finesse, the social skills, and the charm. He made the business deals, and created the little empire that afforded them both nice houses and cars. Daryl stayed out of the limelight, he was the silent Dixon. He didn't know how to network or make deals, he was happy to stay in the body shop of the flagship location and make sure their customers were satisfied with the service they received. 

"You want your same ol’ same ol’, or you gonna switch it up tonight?" she asked. 

"Ugh, I'm starving. I'll take my regular burger and fries, but add in a chocolate shake and a piece of that peach cobbler for dessert."

"Right away Mr. Dixon," she laughed and went into the kitchen to put in his order. When she returned, she sat on the stool next to him. "Judith is making your shake, it should be out soon. Level with me, you're not happy filling Merle's shoes, everybody knows that. Why don't you step down, and let Glenn take over? You know he'd do good with the company, you trust him, Merle trusted him. He's perfect for that job. Give him the reigns, you know that's what he wants."

Judith Grimes came out from the kitchen bearing an enormous chocolate milkshake complete with whipped cream and a cherry. "Thanks Asskicker," Daryl said.

"Oh, you're more than welcome Uncle Daryl. I just want to thank you again for the birthday present. It's the most beautiful piece of machinery in the world." She had turned sixteen two weeks earlier and Daryl had gifted her with a brand new, cherry red Camaro. It took him a solid hour to talk her parents down, but once he promised Rick and Lori he would pay for the best drivers ed instructor in the county, they relented.

"No need to keep thanking me. Your dad take it for a test drive yet?"

"Of course, he keeps telling me he ain't gonna let me drive it till I'm twenty-one."

Daryl laughed. "That's always been your dad's dream car, let him enjoy it for a while."

When Daryl's food was ready, Judith brought that too and another shake. Everyone knew he was a chocoholic and fed his demon when they could. As soon as she was gone, Carol continued the conversation. "Did you know that Maggie and Beth finally sold the farm?"

"Yeah, Glenn said something about it. I hope this guy treats it well. That place holds a lot of memories for me."

"It holds memories for all of us. He came into the diner for dinner tonight. Seems like a good man. His name is John Rollins; he's looking for help."

"Yeah well, he's gonna have a hard time with that until school lets out."

"He asked if I knew anybody who could help until then."

Daryl eyed her suspiciously. "What did you tell him?" He asked as he took another bite of his burger.

"I told him I'd ask around." She said trying to avoid his gaze.

"What the hell are you thinking Carol?"

"I'm thinking that you should go see Andrea and Michonne tomorrow morning and let them draw up papers. Give Glenn the company and get back to your roots. You know you'll be happier."

"I don't know Carol, Merle wanted me to take over. If he had wanted Glenn, he would have put his name in the will."

"We both know Merle loved and respected Glenn, and he knew you were not the kind to follow in his footsteps. Just think about it Daryl. You spent a lot of years on that farm. John could use your expertise." He stammered around the idea but finally agreed to consider it. By the time he was in his truck and on the way home, he had decided he would call Andrea and Michonne the next morning.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John meets Daryl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments on this story. It means a lot, I'm still not sure about this, but I will continue with it. Please let me know what you think. Thank you for giving this one a chance.

Chapter Two

 

When Daryl woke up the next morning, he followed his usual routine: start coffee, take shower, get dressed. He altered his schedule by calling his friend Andrea's law office. Dixon's Autos was one of her biggest clients and between her and her girlfriend and law partner Michonne, the Dixon brothers had always been well taken care of. Daryl spoke to Michonne briefly and explained what he wanted. She told him the paperwork would be done by lunchtime and to bring Glenn and meet them for lunch to sign. Daryl immediately called Glenn to tell him what was happening and that he would come by to pick him up for lunch. After that, the rest of the morning was his to do with as he pleased. He decided to go hunting, and grabbed his crossbow and a bottle of water and headed out on his bike.

Daryl hadn't been hunting since Merle died eight months ago. His previous job had allowed him time to do the things he loved, but since taking over his brother's position in the company, he barely had time to sleep, much less enjoy his life. He spent three hours in the woods, he bagged half a dozen squirrels and two rabbits. He lived in a respectable neighborhood now and couldn't gut them on the front porch like he could when he was a teenager, so he sat by his bike and did the nasty deed. He arrived home with just enough time to shower and pick up Glenn. He was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and an old band tee with his angel wing vest and leather jacket. It felt good to be in his own clothes again.

They were meeting the women at a restaurant outside of town, nothing fancy, but more upscale than the diner. Glenn was all smiles and appreciation when Daryl picked him up, and he talked a mile a minute the whole ride. He had plans, lots of plans. And was telling Daryl every one of them. He thought they were great ideas and told Glenn so, and made sure that the man knew how much he trusted him to run his company. 

Lunch was short, they ate their meal and got down to business. Both men signed on their respective dotted lines and Andrea went over the main points of the contract, the main one being that Daryl still had the ultimate final say in every decision and was to be consulted with on every one. After the meeting was concluded, Daryl drove Glenn back to the office and cleaned out all his personal belongings. He took a detour on his way home and drove by the Greene farm. He hadn't been back there since he took his job with company, working for, and with his brother. That had been fifteen years ago, and the farm hadn't changed a bit from what he could see.

He made one last stop before going home, he went to the diner to talk to Carol; he wanted to tell her he that had taken her advice. She was so happy that she hugged him right there in the middle of the lunch rush. She ordered him to come for dinner at her and Ty's house next week and bring John, then she sent him home with two pieces of peach cobbler, one for him and one for their new neighbor.

When he finally got home, he rested for a bit. He had no doubt that he had made the right decision, but he still worried. This was going to be a huge change for him, he hadn't worked on the farm for so long he wasn't sure if he would be an asset or not, but it was too late to back out now. He thought he might as well get on with things and packed up the cobbler and headed out for the farm.

*******************************************************************

John had woken up early that morning at his normal time, well normal for his old time zone. Georgia was an hour ahead of his old home and he had gotten quite a start when he thought he had woken late. He made coffee, instant because he didn't have a coffee maker yet and sat out on the front porch surveying his land. He thought about how much Mary and the kids would have loved this home. It was going to be a struggle to keep this place productive, he would have multiple crops, not just corn. He would have to buy cattle to supplement his income until he could prepare the ground and plant. This farm wouldn't see any true profit for at least a year or more. He would call Maggie or Beth later to find out who to go to for that one. After his morning of coffee and contemplation, John took a shower and got dressed. He wanted to walk the property and take notes, then he would go into town and make some purchases.

As he drove down Main Street, he found a little Mom and Pop discount store that sold everything from clothes to major appliances. He browsed for a while, filling a shopping cart with small kitchen appliances and basic cleaning supplies and made his way to the checkout line. The cashier, a pretty woman named Karen, made googly eyes at him and fondled every one of his purchases like they were on The Price Is Right. She thanked him for his patronage and told him if he needed a tour of the town, to come see her. He walked out of the store mumbling under his breath that he wouldn't ask her for a tour of a toilet. He stopped by Ty's to grab something to eat before going home, he would go to the grocery store later, but right now he was starving. Carol greeted him with a smile and put his order in with Zach, the short order cook. He told her what he had been up to that day and what plans he had made for the farm. She mentioned that she may have found someone who would be able to help him until the high school kids were available. He was relieved to hear it and told her if the guy was interested, to send him on over. 

After lunch, John went to check out the barn. It was huge, more than enough room for a tractor, or two, and all the other odds and ends he would need. He was hoping the guy Carol told him about would contact him. John had never built a farm from scratch and was feeling overwhelmed.

*******************************************************************

When Daryl arrived at the farm and drove up the long, graveled driveway, memories flooded his mind. His first day working there he stepped in horse shit, had a bale of hay crack him in the skull, and fell off a moving tractor. He laughed to himself, those memories and more had brought him out of dark places and he was excited to be coming back to create new ones. He took the container holding the cobbler out of his saddlebag and walked to the front door. He knocked for a couple minutes, but no one answered. He saw a truck parked in front of the house, so the man had to be here somewhere. Heading toward the barn, he decided to check that out first. The doors were wide open, but Daryl could hear the man cursing before he ever got there.

"Goddamn motherfucker! You better get the fuck outta my barn!" Daryl dropped the container on the ground and rushed inside. The man was holding a broom and running around like a madman. Daryl couldn't see what the man was chasing, but picked up an old rusted axe standing against the wall. 

"What is it, man?" he asked as he approached cautiously.

John turned around, startled by the presence of another person. "I got goddamn rats in my barn," he yelled, and swung the broom handle at the ground like a golf club.

Daryl laughed. "This barn always had rats. Hell, Beth almost had one as a pet when she was seven." John stopped what he was doing and looked at the man wielding an axe. He smirked when he realized what the stranger had said and laughed. 

"I only met her yesterday, but that makes sense to me. She seems like the type." John sat the broom against the wall and wiped his hands on his pants. "My name's John Rollins," he said and extended his hand to Daryl.

"Daryl Dixon," he replied and shook John's hand. "I've got a lot of stories about that little girl, her big sister too."

"Did Carol send you? Are you the one she was telling me about today?"

"I suppose I am. She told me you needed someone to help out and I stuck around longer than anybody else did, probably know this place as well as Maggie and Beth. This place is gonna need a lot of work and those high school kids may be able to sling a hay bale, but they ain't gonna know how to make a bale, or plow a field. That shit's gonna need to be done before they get here."

John sighed. "I know. I've worked on farms my whole life, but I never started one from scratch. I know what needs to be done, but I don't know how to do it here. I don't know anybody yet."

Daryl smiled at him, "Well, now you do."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Daryl make plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is another chapter. Hope you enjoy, let me know what you think.

Chapter Three

 

John led Daryl through the front door of the farmhouse and into the kitchen where he offered the man a seat at the table. He put on a pot of coffee and picked up two paper plates and sat with him. "I want to get some cattle, a couple of dairy cows, some goats, and maybe pigs. I figure I could use them to supplement my income, use the money to buy equipment, get a new irrigation system set up." 

Daryl divvied up the cobbler and listened to John's ideas. "That's smart, Herschel had cattle. Ms. Annette even learned how to make cheese to sell at the Farmer's Market in town. He always wanted to learn how to cure meat so he could make his own bacon and shit, but he had his first heart attack ten years ago and that pretty much stopped him in his tracks. He went to this place two counties over to buy horses and cattle I went with him all the time and still remember how to get there. We can take a couple days, talk to some people, maybe bring home something to start with."

"I'd really appreciate that Daryl," the farmer said as he poured them each a cup of coffee. "I hope, with your help I can have this place ready to go by summer. The farm I had back home was smaller, only grew corn. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by the size of this place. I've got two months and that's cutting it a little close. I can't pay you, but if there's anything I can do for you in exchange for your help, I'd gladly do it."

"You don't need to do anything for me, just let me help you. It's gonna feel good being back on this farm, that's all I need," Daryl said and finished off his coffee and cobbler. "Why don't you grab a notebook and we'll walk the property. If we're gonna do this right, we're gonna do it together."

************************************************************************************************************

They walked around for hours, taking notes and making plans. They were leaving first thing the next morning for Newnan, and Daryl was going to make few phone calls to reconnect with the people he had met all those years ago when he was helping Herschel. Three days should give them enough time to make some solid decisions and maybe a few purchases that would be a benefit to the farm. John wanted to plant corn, soybeans, and wheat and possibly some vegetables to sell to Tyreese. He had at least five pecan trees and would be able to sell those at the Farmers Market soon. That, along with what they could get from the cattle, should give them a base from which they could move forward. 

By the time they walked the perimeter of the property, it was almost dinner time and John had not made it to the grocery store yet. Daryl suggested they leave at the ass crack of dawn the next day so John, in return had suggested that he stay at the farm that night as to not create the possibility they leave later than planned. While Daryl made the twenty-minute trip back to his house in town to pack a bag, John went to the store to buy some basics and something to cook for dinner. 

************************************************************************************************************

When Daryl got home, the first thing he did was call Carol at the diner. She was excited about their plans for the farm and offered to help fix up the house. He said he would relay the message to John and let her know when they returned. He packed a duffle bag with clothes and toiletries and made a call to Glenn to see how his first day as boss man had gone. Satisfied with what he was told, he ended the call and headed out the door. He considered calling his friend Bob to house sit for a few days until he remembered that he was off spending the week with his girlfriend, Tyreese's sister Sasha. He locked up the house and secured his duffle to the back of his bike. On his way back to the farm, he took a detour to see his brother and tell him what happened. 

Daryl went to the cemetery at least twice a week, and changed the flowers and cleaned the stone once a month. He missed his brother horribly and still found it hard to sleep in that house by himself. That was another reason he had agreed to stay at the farm tonight, he was lonely and didn't have anyone to spend time with anymore. He hoped that this new gig with John would fill his personal time and keep his mind off Merle. When he finally returned to the farmhouse, he could smell something wonderful wafting through the open windows. He tore the duffel from the bike and headed inside.

John was stirring something on the stovetop and checking the oven at the same time. "What's cookin' good lookin'?" he said out of habit. He always said that to Annette whenever he stayed at the farm. 

"What?" John replied. "Surely you're not talking to me."

"Sorry," Daryl blushed. "Just a habit. I lived out in that cabin at the back of the property for a while and whenever I'd come in for dinner I'd say that to Ms. Annette."

John laughed. "I hope I don't remind you of an old woman. God, I'm not that ugly." Daryl sat his duffle on the floor and walked into the kitchen. 

"Hey! Ms. Annette was the most beautiful seventy-year-old woman I've ever seen in my life. And no, you look nothing like her." Quickly changing the subject, Daryl walked to the stove. "What did you pick up at the store?"

"I bought stuff to make Crunchy Seasoned Chicken. It's supposed to marinate overnight, but it tastes good regardless. It was my favorite thing that Mary made."

Daryl sat the table with paper plates and plastic forks and spoons. "Who's Mary?" he asked, oblivious to the look on John's face.

The farmer took a deep breath before he answered. "She was my wife."

"Sorry man, didn't know you were divorced. How long?"

"A little over a year. I don't want to talk about it, okay?" 

"Sure man, I'm sorry I asked. It's none of my business. Oh, by the way I talked to Carol and she offered to get the house set up for you while we're getting the farm ready. I told her I'd ask you and let her know when we get back. Also, she invited us to dinner at her and Ty's house next week. I think she likes you." Daryl said and winked at the farmer. 

"I don't know her very well, but she seems like a great lady. She's helped me out a lot and don't know me from Adam. I gotta find a way to thank her." 

"Don't say no to her. She grew up on this farm like most of us around here. She wants to see this place get back to what it was same as I do. Let her do what she wants and say thank you." 

John took dinner out of the oven and the men sat down at the table. "I'm not sure I can run this farm all by myself. Thank you for helping me out."

"Like I said man, the whole town is invested in this farm, always has been. Besides, I'd rather be doing this than what I was doing."

"What were you doing?" John asked with a mouthful of food.

"I took over my brother's business after he died. Not my kinda work, you know. Didn't feel comfortable doing it, so I put somebody else in charge and came over here." John didn't ask for specifics from the man, Daryl had respected his wishes to not talk about his wife, so the farmer didn't stick his nose in the other man's business. After dinner, John showed Daryl to a room upstairs. Maggie had left a lot of the furniture for him and that included beds. The men said their goodnights and the farmer went down the hall to the room he had claimed for his own. He laid in bed alone, but hopeful. Daryl would help him build this farm and maybe give him something to think about besides his family.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Daryl start their road trip.

Chapter Four

 

The next morning, both men were up with the sun and eager to begin their trip. After loading up John's truck, they set off for Ty's to have a little breakfast. The man himself greeted them at the door and Daryl introduced him to John. "It's good to meet you John," the ex-linebacker said as he shook the farmer's hand. "Carol told me about you and that you're gonna have Daryl here helping you get the farm back in shape." He slapped Daryl on the shoulder when he said the man's name. "I'm gonna want to talk to you about getting some of your produce in my kitchen. I have to buy from a guy in the next county, he's got good product, but I'd rather get it from you." 

"I'm glad to hear that Ty. I'd be happy to supply you with whatever you need. It's gonna be awhile for the produce though. Daryl and I are on our way to Newnan to look at some cattle and other animals I can use to supplement until I can get the land ready and crops planted. Maybe we can work out something when I get back." 

"That would be great John. I'll send Carol over to take your orders." As the large man walked back toward the kitchen, Daryl picked up one of the menus Ty had left on the table.

"Ty's a good man. He'll give you a good price for your product. He haggles with the guy over in the next county because he makes Ty go pick up the shit. You have no idea how happy that man is knowing he ain't gonna have to do that much longer." It was then that Carol strolled over wearing her signature smile.

"What can I get you two handsome gentlemen this morning?" She asked bouncing on her feet.

"You seem mighty damn chipper Carol. What up your ass this fine morning?" Daryl asked her sarcastically.

Carol shoved him by the shoulder and laughed. "It's not what's in my ass Daryl. Babies don’t get in from that direction." 

Daryl's eyes widened in surprise. "You're pregnant! God, Carol that's great!" He jumped from his seat at enveloped her in a hug, swinging her around. "Congratulation momma." Ty came back out into the dining area yelling at the top of his lungs.

"You better stop manhandling my woman, Dixon. She's delicate, don't need to be jarred around like that."

Daryl delicately sat the woman on her feet and turned to face her husband. "Congratulations daddy. How long we got till I'm an uncle, again?" he asked as he returned to his seat.

"I'm ten weeks," Carol answered him. "It's March now, baby should be coming around the end of October." 

"How come you waited so long to tell anybody? Have you told anybody else?" Daryl asked them.

"Considering the last two times, we didn't want to jump the gun and jinx ourselves. We want to make sure we do everything right; I can't lose another one. Dr. Porter suggested I do the whole pregnancy from home. And the only other people we've told are Bob and Sasha."

"Well hell," Daryl said still amazed by the news, "You guys need anything you let me know."

"Me too," John said. "I've only been here two days and you've both helped me so much already. I'll help you out in any way I can."

"Thanks a lot guys," Tyreese said. "If one of y'all could hire me a waitress to take her place, that would be great."

"We'll be on the lookout," Daryl joked. The two men put in their orders and Carol brought them some coffee. Before they left, Daryl gave Carol another big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

*****************************************************************************

The drive to Newnan was an hour and a half. Daryl couldn't stop talking about how happy he was for his friends. Carol had two miscarriages in the last five years. She and Ty had been high school sweethearts, but back then that kind of relationship had been frowned upon in these parts. Carol's daddy didn't like it and had forced them apart. She went to college and met Ed, then got pregnant and married him. When she was six months along, he beat her so bad that she lost the baby. Apparently there had been damage to her uterus and she had a difficult time going full term ever since. He hoped that his friends would have better luck this time.

The rest of the ride was filled with small talk; southern summer weather patterns, crop rotation, and discount farming equipment. Daryl had booked them rooms at the Holiday Inn and they went straight up after checking in. They had a suite and kept the door between the rooms open while they unpacked their bags. They had three days to take care of as much business as they could, but they also wanted to have a little fun, so they decided to take care of some business first, then relax. The first stop was the farm where Herschel had purchased most of his cattle and farm animals. Langley Farm was the largest in the region, and Daryl had known the family very well fifteen years ago. Luckily for him, Mr. and Mrs. Langley remembered him and Herschel, and were excited to have him and John visit them. They gave the men a tour of the farm and showed them which animals would be taken to the auction in two days. 

The majority of the first day was spent with the Langley’s and by the time they left, the men had enough information to make a levelheaded decision regarding where they would be putting their money come auction day. It was late afternoon, John and Daryl were tired and hungry. John would rather sleep first then eat, and Daryl was the opposite, so he convinced the farmer to stop at a convenience store to pick up beer. When they got back to the hotel, Daryl ordered room service and John took a nap. Daryl took his lunch of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans from room service and went outside to the balcony. He lit a cigarette and popped the top on his beer. He took a few moments to relive memories of being here with Herschel so many years ago. He learned everything from that old man. The Greene's had become parents to him and he loved and respected them as if he were their own son. He owed it to them to build the farm back up. His thoughts then turned to the farmer, he had experience and knew the level of commitment and dedication it took to have a successful farm. Daryl admired him, starting over in a new place by himself, not knowing a soul and not having a support system. The youngest, and now only Dixon, was grateful for the friends he had, they had saved his life numerous times, most recently since his brother had died. He was going to be John's support system; the farmer came here with nothing, so Daryl would share what he had with him.

*****************************************************************************

John was beyond tired. The excitement from the trip and now having solid plans for the future made his head spin. He was over tired but couldn't relax. He thought about Mary and the kids and how proud they would be of him. He wished they were here to share his joy with. He was so grateful for Daryl, for his experience and knowledge. John's only focus now was to get his life back to normal, and with the other man's help he felt good about his future. 

He laid in bed for a long time, just thinking about everything that had happened to him in the last three days. He had hoped that things would go well, but this had exceeded his expectations. He didn't really have faith in God anymore, but figured that someone must be looking out for him.

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Daryl was still out on the balcony smoking a cigarette when John walked through the door and into his room. He continued through until the early evening sun hit his face. "Did you sleep?" Daryl asked his new boss.

John smiled at him. "No, too excited I guess. Now I want to eat."

Daryl laughed, "I ordered an extra lunch for you. Figured you'd be hungry when you got up. It's meatloaf with all the fixings; mashed potatoes and green beans. I’ll get you a beer too if you want one."

"Thanks man, I appreciate it." He sat at the small table on the balcony and dug in. The food was delicious, and still relatively warm because Daryl had been smart enough to leave the top on the tray. The other man left and soon returned with an ice cold beer.

John laughed. "There was a time when I didn't drink alcohol. Mary's father was a preacher; we went to church every Sunday. I didn't drink or curse, or anything like that. I wanted to be a good husband and responsible father. Then when we started having problems, I let it all go." Daryl didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to have a personal conversation with someone, especially someone he didn't know very well, so he stayed quiet and let the farmer continue. "I guess that was her breaking point. She said she didn't understand me anymore. It's all my fault. Everything that happened was my fault."

"I don't know what to say man. I'm sorry you went through all that." He wanted to comfort the man in some way and so he made a suggestion. "Why don't we go out tonight. We can celebrate your future, the future of the farm."

"Yeah," John replied. "I haven't had anything to celebrate in a long time. That sounds like a good idea."

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Neither John nor Daryl were the dressing up type, but they did the best they could. The men wore black denim jeans and long sleeve t-shirts; John in blue and Daryl in grey. They chose a bar they had passed on their way in called The Beer Cellar. The bar was crowded, but there was a table in the back, so they grabbed it. A local band was playing an old Hank Williams tune and the dance floor was full. "I'm buying tonight," the farmer said. "I can't pay you for your help, but I can make sure you're not thirsty."

"Like I said before man, just letting me help you, letting me get back on the farm, that's good enough for me. But thanks."

A waitress came over and took their order, two beers and a large plate of nachos. "So, what did you do? When you worked for your brother?" John asked.

"I started off as a mechanic in the body shop, then after a few years he put me in charge of it. You heard of Dixon's Autos? That's us, well just me now. I was a silent partner I guess, until Merle died. He left the whole thing to me, all three locations. I had to fill his shoes, and I'm not much of a businessman. I gave the reigns to Glenn Rhee, Maggie Greene's husband. When Carol told me you were gonna need help, that was my way out. I should be buying for you tonight, you saved me from button-ups and neckties." The waitress came back with their food and drinks and the two men spent the next two hours getting drunk and shooting the shit. 

Obviously too drunk to drive back to the Holiday Inn, the waitress called a cab to take John and Daryl back to the hotel. The two men were laughing and leaning on each other as they stumbled outside and into the cab. They collapsed on the bed in Daryl's room as soon as they walked through the door.

"I haven't had a night like this since high school." John said, his words slurring together.

"I think we both needed this. I haven't had this much fun in years." Daryl replied and moved onto his side to face John. "The last year has been tough for both of us. I think I'm gonna like working with you."

John also turned on his side to face Daryl. "You're right. I think I'm gonna like working with you too."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Road trip, day two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who is reading this fic. Thank you for all the comments and kudos, I love all of you. Here is another chapter. Please let me know what you think.

Chapter Five

 

Daryl woke up the next morning with a headache, and his arms around John Rollins. They had fallen asleep shortly after they arrived back at the hotel and crashed on the bed. Daryl couldn't help but hold the man tightly; it felt good to have someone in his arms again. It had been so long, but he knew that John would freak out on him, so he carefully unwrapped his arms from the man's midsection. John stirred, but didn't wake. Daryl rolled off the bed, settled himself in the chair and watched the farmer sleep. He had a serene look on his face; his features calm and relaxed. For the first time in ten years, Daryl wanted to hold another person in his arms, to sleep next to them, and for that person to want him the same way. He couldn't sit there and stare at the man, he wouldn't be able to explain that when John woke up, so he took his smokes and went out to the balcony. It was eight o'clock in the morning, and they were scheduled to visit the next farm in three hours. Daryl extinguished his smoke, then grabbed fresh clothes and his toiletries bag and went to take a shower.

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John woke up to the sound of the shower running. Blinking his eyes a few times, his vision came into focus. He didn't immediately recognize his surroundings, but soon remembered the previous night. He sat up, rubbing his temples, and realized he was in Daryl's room. Feeling a little embarrassed, but grateful the other man wasn't around, he went into his own room and took a shower. He didn't remember much about what happened after they left the bar; he did remember his dream though. He hadn't dreamt about Mary in a couple months and was glad. Those dreams were terrifying, he found her and the kids bloody in the cornfield every night until it drove him crazy, but not last night. Last night she had her arms around him and told him how much she loved him. Her voice was light and her skin was soft. Mary told him that he had made the right decision moving to Georgia, that his life would begin again, and she was right. John could finally feel the pieces coming back together.

When he was out of the shower and dressed he went back into Daryl's room and found the man sitting on the balcony with a beer and a smoke. "Is that your breakfast?" John asked him.

Daryl was preoccupied with his thoughts and jumped when he heard the man's voice. "No, just a little hair of the dog, ya know." John looked good, he had a smile on his face that made Daryl's heart melt.

"You hung over?" The farmer asked.

"No, just got a headache is all. We should get something to eat before we head off to the next place. That should help me feel better. How are you feeling?"

"I feel pretty good considering I haven't drunk that much in years. What time are we supposed to be at the farm?"

"Not till eleven, we got plenty of time. I need to call Glenn before we go, see if he's run the place into the ground yet," Daryl said with a weak smile. He put his cigarette out and went inside to get his phone, and John remained on the balcony to give Daryl his privacy. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. He was excited for the first time since he'd lost Mary and the kids, and he owed it all to Daryl Dixon.

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Daryl was more quiet than usual after talking to Glenn. Everything was fine at the dealership, the transition had gone smoothly, but Daryl was distracted. He sat on his bed after ending the call and stared into the near distance. He could hear John on the balcony and he felt his own heart beat for the first time in ten years. He didn't know what any of it meant, he knew he wasn't in love with the man, but couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful he had looked while sleeping. Daryl was startled out of his thoughts when the man in question walked into the room and passed through to his own. "I'm gonna call a cab to take us to pick up the truck. Then we can get something to eat. You'll feel better after that." Daryl grunted in agreement and went back onto the balcony for another smoke.

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After picking up John's truck they went to the Waffle House for a quick breakfast. Both men drank more than their fair share of coffee and polished off two plates of food each before it was time to head off for the next farm. Daryl was still preoccupied and quiet, but John didn't take notice. He didn't know Daryl well enough to be concerned.

The other farm was nice, all the animals looked healthy and strong, but both Daryl and John agreed they would buy from the Langley's. Daryl trusted them and that's all John needed to know, because he trusted Daryl. On their way back to the hotel, Daryl had John drive by the auction building. He showed him around and explained what procedure was, and told him what he could expect come tomorrow. 

It was late afternoon when they arrived back at the hotel and John ordered a pizza for lunch. There were still a couple beers left, but he ordered another six pack anyway. Daryl was flipping through the tv channels and couldn't find anything good to watch, so John suggested a movie. They settled on Point Break and opened the last two beers. The pizza arrived soon after and they ate, drank, and enjoyed the movie in relative silence.

The sun had just set as the end credits rolled across the screen, both men got up and stretched, then went to their respective bathrooms to take a piss. Each of them had drunk three beers and were about to explode. Daryl was in a better frame of mind now that he had been distracted from his thoughts about the farmer, and smiled to himself. He could let this go, he just had to keep his mind on the farm and forget everything else.

John was shoving another slice in his mouth when Daryl came out of the bathroom. "This was a good idea, getting drunk here in our room instead of the bar, saves on cab fare." He said and washed his food down with a swig of beer.

"Yeah, you have a lot of good ideas," Daryl replied and sat in the chair, not wanting to bring his feelings back into his mind by sitting too close to John. They remained silent for a while until Daryl grabbed his smokes. "I'm gonna step outside for a minute."

John watched him walk out to the balcony and considered following him. He liked being around the other man; he missed having someone to talk to and hang with, and even though this wasn't the same thing he had with Mary, he felt close to Daryl. This was his chance at a new beginning, and he was going to make it count.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Auction day. It ends as it begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is another chapter. Hope you enjoy. Leave a comment, let me know what you think.

Chapter 6

Daryl woke up covered in sweat and shaking. After a moment, he realized that he was at the hotel and in his own bed, alone. For that he was glad. It would have been embarrassing to wake up that way with John there. He threw the sheets off, and sat on the edge of the bed thinking about his nightmare. He hadn't had one in so long, but he knew what had caused this one. Being around the farmer had caused old memories to stir; memories that were locked inside his subconscious mind. He always knew that he would never be able to look at another man the way he was beginning to look at John, and not think about what he had and lost so many years ago.

Daryl stood from the bed and slipped on his pants and t-shirt. Picking up his pack of smokes from the bedside table, he went outside to think. It was only because he had spent the majority of the last two and a half days with the man, in close quarters, that he was thinking the way he was. He hadn't imagined that this would happen; he hadn't imagined that another human being would have the ability to pull those memories and feelings from their final resting place. He didn't honestly know how he felt about this sudden turn of events. He didn't know if he would be able to work as closely with the farmer as he needed to, and make these thoughts go away.

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John's alarm went off at seven thirty and he hit the snooze button. He could stay in bed for another ten minutes if he wanted to. The auction was scheduled to start at ten o'clock, but Daryl wanted to get there early to meet with the Langley's. When the alarm went off the second time, he turned it off and got out of bed. He was on his way into the bathroom when he smelled coffee coming from the next room.

Daryl was sitting on the bed, his back against the headboard when he heard the door between their rooms open. "Good morning," he said to the farmer, who to his chagrin, was only wearing a pair of black boxers.

"Morning Daryl. How long have you been up?"

"Since three thirty this morning. Woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. I went out and got coffee and bagels if you want some."

John walked to the table, picked up his coffee cup and a bagel, then sat down. "Sorry to hear that man. Any particular reason?"

Daryl tried to keep his eyes off the other man, but wasn't successful. "I don't think so; may have had a dream, but I don't remember it."

"I slept great last night. Guess I'm more relaxed now since moving here and finding you. You've kept me from stressing out over the farm, and I haven't been thinking about Mary as much. Thank you for that; I appreciate everything you've done for me."

Daryl blushed, "No need to keep thanking me. Like I said, this arrangement has helped me as much as it has you. I don't have to go to the damn office anymore. Go ahead and take your shower and get ready; we should leave as soon as we can so we can catch the Langley's before the auction starts."

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John and Daryl were very proud of themselves; they purchased two dairy cows and two goats from Langley Farm. They paid a bit more than they had hoped, but they were bidding back and forth with a man from Woodbury wearing a damn eye patch. Both men agreed it would be a cold day in hell when a pirate took their booty. After they settled up with Mr. and Mrs. Langley, they rented a horse trailer to haul the animals back home; they had already checked out of the hotel and had their bags in the trunk. It would be a couple weeks until they could get milking equipment installed in the barn, so until then, they would do it the old fashioned way, by hand. 

It was beginning to get dark when they arrived back at the farm; the first thing they did was acquaint the animals with their new home and let them graze for a while. John took their bags inside and took a couple of beers from the fridge before he went back outside. Daryl was leaning against the barn doors smoking a cigarette watching the new residents have their dinner; he had filled the trough with water from the hose and let them do their thing. "After we get 'em back in the barn, let’s go to the diner. I'm starving, and dinner is on me," John said as he handed Daryl a beer.

"Sure, sounds good. I could eat, but I'm gonna take my bike. There's something I want to do after," Daryl replied. He was sad that the road trip was over, but there was someone he needed to talk to; the only person he felt comfortable talking to about what he'd been going through the last few days, and he needed to be alone for a bit. 

******************************************************************************************************************************** 

The diner was almost empty when they arrived; they had missed the dinner rush, so Daryl led John to a booth by the window. A couple minutes later, Judith came out of the kitchen and handed the two men menus. "Hi Uncle Daryl. Glad to see you're back. How did the trip go?"

"Really good Asskicker. This is John Rollins," Daryl said, pointing to the other man. "He bought Hershel's place. John, this is Judith Grimes, best waitress in town."

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Rollins. I'd love to work on your farm this summer," she said as she shook his hand.

"I think that can be arranged. I'm gonna need all the help I can get," the farmer replied with a smile.

"When is Carl coming home?" Daryl asked. "I'm sure he'd want to help out too."

"He's got three weeks left. Daddy already told him about the farm being bought, he's real excited about it; can't wait to come work for ya. I'll start fixing your shake Uncle Daryl, would you like one too Mr. Rollins?"

"I have a slight chocolate addiction, and Asskicker here makes the best chocolate milkshakes in the county," Daryl admitted.

"Well then, I'll have one too Ms. Grimes. Thank you." John said smiling at the young girl. Once she sprinted back to the kitchen, John and Daryl laughed.

"She seems enthusiastic," John said. "Is she really your niece?"

"Naw, Merle didn't have kids. I've known her parents since high school. Rick and Lori both worked on the farm with me. Rick is a King County Sheriff’s deputy, and Lori is a teacher. They have a son, Carl; he's a freshman at Georgia State. Those kids have heard a lot stories from back then. Carl got so upset when Hershel died because he wasn't going to be able to work on the farm."

"Why do you call her Asskicker?" the farmer asked.

"Lori almost died giving birth to her. Something went wrong, she started bleeding a lot; but the doctor was able to save them both. I was at the hospital when she was born, and when we knew both of 'em were gonna be okay, I told Rick that baby girl was an asskicker, and the name stuck." That was about the time Judith came out of the kitchen holding two of the biggest milkshakes John had ever seen.

"Best chocolate shake around; you won't be disappointed Mr. Rollins, I promise." Judith said as she sat the two glass tumblers on the table. "Are you ready to order?"

"Yeah, I'll just have my regular burger and fries," Daryl said handing his menu to Judith.

"I'll have the same," said John. 

The men ate their meal in relative silence, both tired from the trip. When they were finished, John paid the bill and they walked out to their vehicles. "What time do you want me in tomorrow?" Daryl asked as he mounted his motorcycle.

"Don't matter. I thought we could rig a makeshift milker and try our hand at doing some old fashioned pasteurizing, if that sounds good to you."

Daryl laughed. "I haven't milked an animal in fifteen years. Hope I haven't lost my touch."

"I'm sure you haven't. I found some of Hershel's notes in his office. There were instructions on how to pasteurize, I'm gonna read over them; make sure I don't screw things up too bad." Daryl and John shook hands and said their goodbyes; John heading back to the farm, and Daryl heading towards town.

******************************************************************************************************************************** 

Fifteen minutes later, he was sitting on newly cut grass in front of a marble headstone embedded in the ground. "Hey sweetheart. I'm so sorry I haven't been by to see you; it's been too long. I've been so busy with the company and too tired to make the trip. I know you understand, but I still love you, and I feel like shit for not coming by." Daryl paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "I took over the company when Merle passed, ya know; I told you about that last time I was here. That didn't work too well for me, I'm sure you knew that though. Anyway, I signed the company over to Glenn. I still own one hundred percent of it, he's just taking care of it for me."

He paused again and ran his ran his fingers over the letters etched in stone. "Maggie and Beth finally sold the farm. The man they sold it to had his own farm before he moved here. His name is John Rollins, and I'm going work for him. Can you believe it? I'm back on that damn farm again, but I'm happy. We just got back from Newnan; bought some cattle and a couple goats. We're going to sell the milk while we get the land back in shape. I'm excited, but a little nervous. I think I like him; he seems like a good man, he's funny and he's kinda cute. I know you think I should have moved on with my life by now, but I just didn't want to. I don't know how I feel, but I'm attracted to him. Being around him the past few days made me think about you a lot; I even had a dream about you. It started off really good; we were in bed, back at the cabin, just talking, I think." Tears formed at the corner of Daryl's eyes, "Then I heard a loud bang, and when I looked over at you, there was blood everywhere. I haven't had one like that in years." He sat on the ground and cried over this grave for the first time in a long time. 

"I still miss you so much baby. I miss your smile and your laugh. I miss your touch; I'm afraid that these feelings for John aren't gonna go away and I know you want me to be with somebody, but I don't think I can." Daryl sat on the grass until his tears stopped falling. He leaned down and placed a kiss on the headstone. "I will always love you," he said, then left the cemetery to go home and sleep in his own bed, alone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rick meets John

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to those who are reading and commenting. I love you all!

Chapter Seven

 

Daryl's phone rang at six o'clock the next morning, waking him from a gratefully dreamless sleep. He checked the caller ID thinking it was John, but it wasn't. "Good morning Rick. What the fuck do you want this early in the goddamn morning?"

"Well good morning to you too sunshine. Did I wake you up?" the Sheriff's deputy said sarcastically.

"You know you did asshole, but it's okay. I have to get ready and get to the farm anyway. What do you need?"

"I'd like to come by today, meet Mr. Rollins, if you think that would be alright. Judy was excited when she got home last night; told us all about meeting him, and that he's gonna let her work on the farm. Do you think he would mind?"

"Naw, he wants to meet more people around here, and support from King County's finest will help. I'll let him know you'll be stopping by today. " Daryl said as he made his way to the coffee maker.

"Great!" Rick replied. "I'll give you a call when I'm on my way. Do you like him Daryl? Is he gonna be able to make something of the farm?"

"Yeah, I like him. He's been farming his whole life. That place is gonna be as good as it was when we were working there, I know it. He seems like a good man; this is gonna be good for us, for all of us."

"Sounds good to me, can't wait to meet him. I'll see you guys later. Maybe I'll bring lunch for all of us." Rick said.

"Alright, John will appreciate it. See ya later." After he ended the call, Daryl sat at the kitchen table with his coffee. For the first time in eight months, he was eager to get his day started. Getting the farm on track and ready for planting was his new focus, and it would be his sole focus until he could get his head on straight.

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John spent the whole morning cleaning buckets, pots and pans. Maggie told him that there were lots of them in the cellar, so last night, after he got home, he took them up to the house. That's what he was doing when Daryl walked in the door. "Good morning," Daryl said as he entered the kitchen. "Looks like you've been busy."

"Morning, I want to get everything set up now so we won't have to do it later. I was gonna fix some breakfast if you haven't eaten yet."

"I've had a couple cups of coffee, but that's it. I'll help; I'm pretty good in the kitchen." He went to the refrigerator and took out eggs and bacon. "Rick called me this morning; he'd like to stop by today. He wants to meet you, said he'd bring lunch, if that’s okay?"

"Rick is the Sheriff's deputy, right? Judith's dad?" John asked. Daryl nodded his head as he laid strips of bacon in a frying pan. "Sure, that'd be fine; bringing lunch is even better," he joked. When he finished cleaning the pots, he sat them on the counter by the back door and took a can of biscuits out of the refrigerator. "Glad I bothered to stop at the store on the way home last night. I'm starving this morning. I'm still used to breakfast being on the table by the time I get downstairs."

"You should think about hiring someone, ya know, to take care of this place. I know Carol offered, but I don't want her doing too much. I don't want her to do anything to risk that baby. Besides, Tyreese would kill us both. Beth would do it, I bet, or she would find somebody. You can't take care of this house and the land. You need a housewife."

John knew that Daryl didn't realize what he had said; the local man was under the impression that he and his wife had gone through an amicable divorce, and John wasn't ready to correct his assumption. "Naw man, I don't need a housewife. Someone to come in cook, clean and then leave is all I need. I'm not ready to live with a woman again."

"I understand." Daryl said, as he cracked eggs into a bowl. "Do you mind if I ask how long were you married?"

John put the sheet of biscuits in the oven and leaned back against the counter. "Almost sixteen years. We got married a few months before our daughter was born. I wanted to marry her regardless of the pregnancy, though. She was the love of my life."

Daryl hummed his acknowledgement. "I was in love once," he said quietly, and let the conversation die. Once the biscuits were out of the oven, the two men sat at the table to eat. John held the conversation, talking about his plans for the day, and what he hoped to have accomplished by nightfall. Daryl sat quietly and listened to the farmer; his mind wondered back to the conversation from earlier, and not for the first time did he wonder if subjecting himself to this place and this man was the right decision. After breakfast, John and Daryl took the pots out to the barn. They let the livestock have their own breakfast before settling down to milk. Daryl had remembered quite well how to do it and how to handle the cows; John however, had a harder time with it. His pressure was either too soft or too harsh and he ended up on his ass more than once from a swift kick. Daryl would laugh at him and help him up. 

Eventually John became so frustrated that he almost tipped the bucket over and went back into the house. "Let me help you," Daryl offered, and sat his stool next to John's. He took the farmer's hand and placed it on the utter. "Your touch has to be gentle, but firm. Start slowly as you go down and when you get to the tip, squeeze, like this." He covered John's hand with his own and moved it along the cow's tit. Unconsciously, he rubbed his thumb along the back of the other man's hand as he demonstrated his technique. Daryl may not have noticed what he was doing, but John did. He carefully watched the other man as he took his hand and caressed it without thought. Oddly enough, he felt comforted by that; Daryl wasn't making fun of his ineptitude, he wasn't condescending to him. The other man was explaining what he had done wrong and giving him the instruction to do it the correct way, and he was trying to comfort the farmer as he did it. John smiled softly, remembering that Mary had always handled him that same way.

By midday, there was a gallon and a half of milk between them, mostly from Daryl's end because of John's late start. A Sheriff's department squad car pulled into the drive as the men carried their potential profit to the farmhouse, and Daryl stopped to welcome Rick to the farm. "Hey man!" he says as he shakes the officer's hand. "Good to see you. It's been a while."

"I haven't seen your face since you dropped a sports car in my daughter’s lap and ran away" Rick replied with a smile.

"I did not run away; we talked for a damn hour about it. How does it drive?"

"Like a fucking dream." Rick said and laughed.

"Come on, you can help us get this inside and in the fridge. Then we'll sit down and have lunch." Daryl told him as he motioned toward the porch steps where John was carrying one of the buckets. Rick rushed over, taking the bucket from the farmer and holding the door open for the other two men. After the milk was safe in the cool air of the refrigerator, Daryl officially introduced his old friend to the new guy in town. 

"Rick, this is John Rollins. John, this is Rick Grimes, both he and his wife Lori worked on the farm too."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Rick." John said and shook the man's hand. "I think your daughter is pretty anxious to work for me. That okay with you?"

"Of course it is; I'm happy we can keep the tradition alive. I'm excited about this new farm you're building, and I'm glad to see your gonna involve the community. This farm has always been the focal part of this town, and I would love to help out myself when I can."

"I appreciate that Rick," John replied. "I'm starving, Daryl said that lunch would be included in this visit."

"Yes it is, Lori sent all the leftovers from last night's dinner. There's roast with carrots and potatoes, salad, and some homemade rolls. There should be enough for all three of us, Judy wasn't at home for dinner, and Lori always makes enough for four or five people." John warmed the roast and rolls in the oven while the three men made small talk, mostly regarding their trip to Newnan and John's immediate plans for the farm. Halfway through lunch, Daryl's cell phone rang, it was Glenn; he took the call into the next room and soon returned.

"Shit guys, I gotta go to the office. We got a couple people retiring at the end of the year and I have to sign off on benefits packages and shit like that. We have to start the ball rolling early so everything is ready to go when the time comes. I won't be gone long, don't eat my lunch motherfuckers."

The other two men laugh. "I'll wrap it up and keep it warm for you," John said as Daryl dashed out the door. The farmer and the deputy finished their meal in silence and when they were finished, and the dishes were in the sink, John offered to take Rick on a tour of the property and show the other man his plans for the future. As they were rounding the back end of the farm, Rick took an opportunity to approach a different subject with the John.

"I'm glad you decided to move here and buy the farm, and you seem like a great guy, but I have to be honest with you. I was curious about you and did a little background check. I'm sorry about your wife and kids. I wouldn't be able to live if something like that happened to Lori, Carl, or Judith." 

John was shocked by the deputy's statement. He didn't want anyone to know about what had happened. "I don't know how I feel about the background check, but thank you. I wasn't sure if I was going to survive losing them, especially the way it happened. That's one reason I'm so glad to be here. No one knows, there's no fake sympathy or pathetic, sad looks. I just want a new start; I want a new life."

Rick put his hand on John's shoulder in a reassuring way. "We'll make sure you get that fresh start. I won't tell a soul if you don't want me to. Does Daryl know?"

"No, he thinks I'm divorced. I'm not gonna tell him any different, not right away at least."

"It's tragic to lose someone you love, especially in a violent way. I think Daryl made the right decision coming back here to help you. This place holds a lot of memories for all of us, but especially him. You two have more in common than you may think. He can help you with more than the farm, if you need it." Before John could respond, the sound of Daryl's motorcycle could be heard coming up the drive. Without speaking, the two men went to meet him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both John and Daryl make confessions.

Chapter 8

 

After Rick left the farm, John and Daryl boiled the milk on the stovetop. John was not very communicative, and Daryl wondered if something had happened between the deputy and the farmer in his absence. The two men had been friendly toward each other when he returned; shaking hands before Rick drove off. He wanted to know if there had been a conflict between his old friend and his new one, but didn't want to risk upsetting John, so he let it go and let John have his moment of silence. Neither man had worked this hard in a long time; hard, physical labor was something they would each have to get used to again. By the time the milk was pasteurized and put away to cool, it was starting to get dark and the men decided to call it a day. Daryl grabbed his smokes, John took a couple beers from the fridge, and they sat on the front porch.

"So . . ." Daryl tentatively said, "you and Rick seemed to get along pretty well."

"Yeah, he seems like a good guy. You've known each other a long time haven't you?"

"Since damn grade school; second grade, I think. Hell, all of us around here went to school together, some came later on though."

"So I can assume he's an honest man? I can trust him?"

Daryl was confused as to where John was going with his questions, but answered them anyway. "Rick is one of the most honest men I've ever known. I trust him with my life. Why?"

"He seems very protective of you," John said and finished his beer. "He did a background check on me."

Daryl was shocked, but not totally surprised. "I'm sorry John; he goes overboard sometimes. I've been through a lot of shit and he's one of the people who helped me through it. I guess he's afraid being back here on the farm might . . . I don't know, affect me somehow. He doesn't want me to get hurt."

John suddenly became upset by the fact that someone thought he could hurt Daryl. "He thinks I'm gonna hurt you?"

"Man, I don't know what he's thinking. Don't get mad, he's done it to a lot of people I've known. He doesn't mean anything by it; he's just looking after me." Neither man said another word for a while, and John went back inside. He returned with the rest of the beer and a bottle of whiskey. Seeing what the farmer had brought with him, Daryl got worried that John was more upset than he let on. "John, I'm sure he didn't find anything. He really seemed to like you. He wouldn't pretend to like you if he found out you had done something illegal."

John looked at Daryl and took a swig of whiskey straight from the bottle. He was going to need a lot of alcohol if he was going to get through this. "I've never done anything illegal; that's not what he found." Daryl didn't know what to say to that, so he didn't say anything. If John had something to confess, he would hold his tongue until the man said his piece. "I'm not divorced. Mary didn't take the kids and move out." He took another drink from the whiskey bottle and Daryl took a beer from the pack. "I was the one who found them, in the field." John ingested more whiskey before continuing. Daryl sat enraptured by what the other man was saying, and focused all his attention on him.

"My neighbor, Jude, seemed like a good guy when I first met him. He was working on the tobacco farm next to us. He was fucking psychotic; got it in his head that some fucking prosperity demon was going to turn my cornfield into gold. All I had to do was forget about my family. He said they would get in the way and I needed to focus on the land, not them." He poured more alcohol down his throat as tears fell down his cheeks. "When I didn't do what he thought I should to show respect to this fucking demon . . . he killed them, all three of them; Mary, Lindsay, and Michael. He left them there, under the fucking scarecrow for me to find." Daryl was astonished by the other man's confession, and fought back his own tears. After a time of silence, John continued. "When Rick told me he'd found out about what happened, he said he wouldn't tell anyone unless I wanted him to. But he suggested that I tell you; he said that you'd be able to help me learn how to move on. I guess because you lost your brother recently he thinks we have something in common."

Daryl was at a crossroads. He felt an incredible urge to say, "Yes, I can help you. I know what you're going through, I know what you're feeling. I've cried those tears and I can help you", but if he did that, he would also feel the need to explain himself. John had vocalized his pain and shared it with him; he would have to do the same. By the time John had finished his story, Daryl had finished three beers and was in need of something stronger. He reached over and took the bottle of whiskey from John. "I guess we do," he said finally. "I know what it feels like to lose someone you love; especially in a pointless, tragic way." He gulped from the bottle.

Now it was John's turn to sit and listen as Daryl hesitantly told his own story, "You know, I told you that we all went to school together? Well, some of us came in later. When we were old enough to start working on the farm, there were a few new kids who joined us." He took another drink. "I had a lot of shit in my life back then; lot of bad shit at home. Mama died when I was real young, and as soon as Merle left home, daddy started drinking. He was a bastard when he was drunk; beat the holy fuck outta me. I ended up in the hospital once or twice. Anyway, that first summer, Hershel and Ms. Annette kinda took me in; they let me stay here, in that cabin whenever I needed to." He stopped there, not really knowing what to say next. He would have to reveal his secret, but was afraid of how John would react.

"I met someone, that first summer, one of the new kids. I fell in love. Didn't know that's what it was as first, but it didn't take long to figure it out. We spent the whole summer hanging out and getting to know each other. We kept it a secret as long as we could. You know how I told you about Carol and Tyreese? Well, people wouldn't have taken too kindly to the two of us being together either, but for different reasons. When daddy found out, he beat the shit out of me. I was able to make it here to the farm and Hershel took care of me. That's when I moved into that cabin permanently." He stopped talking again; he really wanted to crawl under the floor. "I lived there by myself until graduation . . . then he moved in with me."

John didn't catch it at first, what Daryl had just admitted. He was fairly drunk, but had been paying attention to the story. When the other man stopped talking, he thought about the last thing he had said. "Did you say 'he'?" John asked in the silence. He realized that he probably shouldn’t have brought attention to that, but he had never known a gay man before, and didn't want to offend Daryl. He needed him; he needed him for the farm, and he wanted him as a friend.

Daryl smirked at the farmer's question. He had been nervous about his reaction, didn't know if he would be angry and ignorant, or curious. He was not in love with this man, he kept telling himself. He was very attracted, and already cared for this man deeply, but then again, isn't that how it started last time? "Yes, I said 'he'. His name was Shane, and he went through the police academy with Rick; they were partners for a while." He took a few more gulps of the whiskey before proceeding. "We were together for almost fifteen years. We were talking about going to Denmark to get married; we bought rings and everything. He was on patrol with Rick one day and they got a call about a car fleeing from a robbery. They were closest to where the car had been spotted. The dispatcher told them there were two men in the vehicle, but there were three. When they finally ran them off the road, the third man jumped out of the car and started shooting; got Shane directly in the chest. He was dead before they got him to the hospital." Daryl was almost stoic as he related his story; he was proud of himself for not getting too hysterical, but couldn't keep all his tears at bay. 

"How long has he been gone?" John asked quietly.

"Ten years in June," was his answer. Both men were emotionally spent and unsure where to go now; so they remained silent. Eventually, the tears stopped and the two men looked at each other. John felt more connected to Daryl, in a way he had never imagined he could. He briefly thought of earlier that day when the other man had held his hand. At the time, it had made him think of Mary, but now it made him think of something else. He wiped his eyes and stood up, "Let's go in; I'll fix us something to eat."

Daryl only nodded and stood, grasping the neck of the whiskey bottle tightly, he followed the farmer inside. John took some lunch meat and condiments from the fridge and began making sandwiches; Daryl just sat at the table, drinking from the bottle of whiskey. When the food was on the table, John seized the bottle from Daryl's grasp and poured some into a glass. Suddenly John broke the silence. "Are you sure you want to be on this farm? I know how memories can creep up on you; I know how powerful they can be. I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed with any of this. I would understand if you don't want to do this anymore."

"Naw man, I'll be fine. I haven't been on this farm since high school; I have some great memories here. Besides, I need this; I need to deal with it. Rick was right, I think we can help each other."

"Why don't you stay here tonight?" John offered. "You can stay in the same room you were in the other night, if you want. You shouldn't be driving home, especially on the bike; we've both had too much to drink."

"Thanks man, I appreciate it. If you don't mind, I think I'll go upstairs and turn in. I'm wiped out." Daryl stood and put his empty plate in the sink. As he turned to leave the room, John touched his arm, causing Daryl to stop and turn around.

"If you need anything, let me know, okay. I'm here for you as much as you're here for me." Daryl looked at the farmer and saw compassion on his face. He smiled at John, there was warmth in his eyes and in his touch; Daryl felt at ease with this man and with his feelings. No matter if John could feel something for him or not, he had a friend. He had someone who understood his grief, and for now, that was enough.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys get some work done for the farm.

Chapter 9

 

John felt a load lifted from his soul after telling Daryl what had happened to his wife and children. He was afraid to tell anyone in this new place anything about him or his past. He had been a suspect in their brutal deaths until Jude's mental illness was confirmed. It would be easy for complete strangers to assume his guilt in the matter. This was supposed to be his new beginning, and he had moved here to forget about everything. He wasn't the only one who had a secret though. John figured that everyone in town knew that Daryl was gay, and what had happened to his boyfriend, but he had never suspected. He had never known a gay man before and Daryl was not what he had pictured in his mind. Daryl was hard and rough; he had been a mechanic for God's sake. He was a good looking man though, the farmer had to admit. He knew how hard it was to let go of someone you had been with for so long and loved so deeply; he hoped Daryl could teach him how to handle what lay ahead.

The farmer lay in bed most of the night thinking about the conversation he and Daryl had, and if it would affect their working relationship. He admired the other man for the risk he took in coming out to him. The environment here in Georgia was similar to the one he had grown up with in the mid-west; gays weren't welcome. It made him wonder if any of the men he knew, guys he had grown up with had been gay; if they were, it had been hidden well. Suddenly he became concerned with having to conceal the very essence of who you are as a human being, and his heart went out to Daryl in a way that it never had for another human being. John wanted to make sure Daryl knew that he was accepted for everything he is, and maybe the farmer would be able to learn a thing or two from him.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

Daryl wasn't sure what he was feeling anymore. He had been so frightened to tell John that he was gay. Everyone in this fucking town knew he was; they all knew about him and Shane, but the thought of telling John had almost paralyzed him and he wasn't sure why. He was attracted to the man, he knew that from the first time they met each other, and those days in Newnan were torturous at times, but caring about what the man would think if he knew he was gay . . . he didn't want to know what that could mean. Hearing what John had been through with the murder of his wife and kids knocked the breath out of him and took him right back to the moment Rick told him Shane was dead. He could not let himself fall into that abyss again, but John was standing at the opening of this pit of grief. Daryl stumbled blindly through his mourning; Rick, Carol, even Merle tried to help him find his way back to clarity. It had taken him the better part of a decade to find it, but he had peace now, had for a while. His connection with John was now threatening that peace, but he had to think long and hard if he even cared.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

Daryl woke up at five o'clock the next morning and jumped in the shower. He wanted to concentrate on the farm today and maybe things wouldn't be awkward between him and John. There was a chance that things wouldn't be awkward at all anyway, and he didn't want them to be. He wanted to help John as best he could and keep his sanity at the same time. He knew that it wasn't possible, but he hoped that there would be something beautiful waiting for him on the other side. 

He had already started breakfast when John made it down the stairs. "Something sure does smell good. I could smell that all the way upstairs with the door closed," the farmer said and inhaled the aroma of bacon, eggs, toast and coffee. 

"Yeah, I told you I was good in the kitchen. Just get your coffee and sit your ass down at the table; I got this." John watched him flit around the kitchen as if he were fae, and was dumbfounded by his grace.

"You really know your way around a kitchen. Did you ever consider becoming a chef?" 

Daryl paused what he was doing. "Shane always said I should have gone to culinary school instead of going to work for Merle." he said thoughtfully, and chuckled. "I always loved to cook, Ms. Annette taught me everything. She left me a few of her cookbooks when she died, and I've worked my way through most of them. I haven't spent a lot of time in the kitchen in a while, haven't had anyone to cook for." He dropped two steaming plates of goodness on the table and sat opposite John.

"Well now I have to decide if I'd rather have you out on the farm or in the kitchen. Maybe I don't need to hire someone," the farmer said as he stuffed his face.

"Oh, you better damn well hire someone; you ain't gonna find nobody who can get this farm running like me." Daryl smiled at the other man, thankful that everything felt good and normal this morning. Daryl wanted to check on getting a few pieces of farm equipment and planned to make some phone calls, they also needed to get more milking done. John had decided to take what milk they could get and sell it at the farmer's market in town, and he needed make arrangements for a booth. The two men decided to divide the labor and Daryl would call about the farm equipment and John would call regarding the booth at the market. 

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

John left the farmhouse soon after breakfast and a shower; he was going to meet Maggie. She was going to introduce him to Sasha and Bob Stookey, Tyreese's sister and brother-in-law, who ran the co-op that sponsored the farmer's market every weekend. While he was gone, Daryl called around to see what kind of equipment they could find for a reasonable price; renting was their only option for now, they would be able to purchase after the first crop came in and sold, hopefully. By noon Daryl had secured rental of a tractor, rototiller, broadcast seeder, an irrigation sprinkler system, and a milking machine. He felt quite accomplished, and called the farmer to let him know what he had been able to procure for them. He left a message for John, telling him about the equipment and when it would be delivered, then realizing that it was lunchtime, he grabbed his keys and his smokes and jumped on his motorcycle. 

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

John and Maggie had secured a booth at the farmer's market and arranged to lease it through harvest time. He had enjoyed meeting Bob and Sasha, and promised to let them help out when the harvest came in. The married couple insisted that Maggie and John join them for lunch, and asked if John would call Daryl and invite him too; he had to leave a message and assumed Daryl was on the phone trying to find equipment. The four of them jumped into John's truck and went to Tyreese's Diner hoping that Daryl would get the message and meet them there soon. 

They had missed the lunch rush and helped themselves to a large circular booth in the back corner. A waitress John didn't recognize came to their table to take their drink orders. "Have you met John?" Sasha asked the young girl who shook her head. "This is John Rollins, he bought the Greene farm and he's gonna have a booth at the market. John, this is Amy Harrison."

"It's nice to meet you John," Amy said smiling, and extended her hand to the man. "I go to college in Atlanta. Are you gonna be needing help this summer? I would love to work on the farm; I've heard all my sister's stories and it sounds like it would be quite an exciting experience."

"I don't know if I would describe it as exciting, but sure. If you wanna work out in the heat all day and go home smelling like shit, you're more than welcome to help out." They all laughed at that because they knew how true that claim was. The four made small talk while waiting for their lunch to arrive; John kept glancing at his phone to see if Daryl had text or called him to say he was on his way to meet them, but there was nothing. He was disappointed, he had been spending so much time with the man lately that he was missing him now; he didn't know what to think about that revelation. Fortunately, he didn't have time to dwell on that because the diner door opened and in walked the man himself. Bob yelled to get his attention and Daryl walked over to the table and sat next to the farmer. 

"So, we got a place to sell our shit?" he asked the table.

"Yeah, rented a booth through harvest. Hopefully we'll have something to sell," John replied as Amy and Tyreese brought their food to the table and took Daryl's order.

"We will, I tried to call you. I procured us a tractor, tiller, seeder, irrigation system, and a milking machine. There's no excuse to not have something to sell at that booth."

John's eyes grew large. "Can we afford all that equipment at once?"

"I rented it; they gave me a deal when they found out it was for the Greene Farm. They were happy that we're getting it going again. I made arrangements, got it covered." 

Maggie beamed and her face split in two with a bright smile. "John you have no idea how happy I am that you're doing this. Daddy would have loved you for what you're doing with his farm."

"Maggie, you don't know how happy I am to have found your daddy's farm. This is all I've ever known; grew up on a farm and had one myself back home. It's the only think I know how to do."

"Then we know it will be successful. The kids will be out of school in three or four weeks and then everything will be in full swing. I'm so excited!!" Maggie replied. After lunch was over, John took Sasha and Bob back to the market and Maggie back to her house. Daryl stayed behind to talk to Tyreese.

"Hey man, how's Carol doing?" Daryl asked the man.

"Morning sickness is killing her, but she's a trooper; says she doesn't give a shit about it as long as the baby is healthy." Tyreese replied.

"I imagine that's true," Daryl said. "I really need to talk to her; do you think it would be okay if I called her or went to see her. I won't stress her out, I promise, I just need someone to talk to."

Tyreese gave the man a bright smile. "She would love to see you. With me here all day and most of the night, she doesn't have a lot of company. Just give her a call and let her know you're coming over. I'll make up some dinner for both of y'all and you can take it to her. She's gonna wanna cook for you and I ain't having that shit. She stays in bed or on the couch, you hear me Dixon?"

"Loud and clear sir," Daryl said and gave the big man a mock salute. He stepped through the door and into the sunlight; straddling his motorcycle, he pulled out his phone and called Carol. "Hey little momma, how's it going?"

"Hey Daryl! I'm doing fine considering I've thrown up four times this morning. How are you?"

"Four times! Good Lord woman, did ya puke up the baby?"

Carol laughed, "No Daryl, I did not. That's impossible." Daryl joined in the laughter until it died down. "What's going on? Did something happen at the farm?"

"Kinda . . . not really . . . I don't know. I just need to talk to you; maybe you could put some things in perspective for me?"

"Of course pookie. Come over whenever you want; I'll fix us some dinner."

"The fuck you will. Your husband would hang my balls on the door as knockers. Just call him and tell him what you want for dinner. When I'm done at the farm I'll pick it up and be over. And be on the couch or something when I get there, I hope to use my balls again someday."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl seeks advise from Carol, and John can't sleep.

Chapter Ten

 

Daryl spent the next five hours milking cows and goats with John. He would occasionally sneak a glance at the handsome farmer, and noticed that most times, John had been looking at him first. He didn't know if that was a good thing or not; he could be looking at him because he was starting to feel uncomfortable around Daryl, that would not be good. He chose to think that he was looking at him because he was curious; he was sure the man had a lot of questions for him regarding his revelation from last night. When it was time to call it a day, John invited Daryl to stay for dinner, but the man politely refused, saying that he was going to see Carol and spend some time with his old friend. John seemed a little disappointed, but didn't let it show too much. He wished Daryl a good night and watched him speed away on his bike.

*************************************************************************************************************************

After Daryl picked up his and Carol's dinner, he made his way to her house. He hadn't showered yet, but all he had been doing was milking, so he didn't smell as bad as he would have if he had been in the field. The door was unlocked when he arrived and he let himself in as was his custom with all his close friends. "Dinner is prepared," he said in his best Magenta impression. He loved quoting from his favorite film, Rocky Horror Picture Show and especially Magenta, his favorite character. He had dressed up as her once when he and Shane had gone to a midnight showing.

Carol was laying on the sofa as she had been instructed to do by her overly protective husband; Daryl stopped and leaned in to give her a hug before proceeding to the kitchen to plate up the food. " How are you feeling little mamma? Are you still throwing up?"

"No, thank God. It usually tapers off in the afternoon, but it'll start all over again tomorrow," she said and took the plate of chicken and dumplings Daryl offered her. He went back into the kitchen and brought out his own plate with a cheeseburger and fries. "How are things going with the farm? You two make any progress yet?"

"We bought a couple cows and goats down in Newnan, and we got some milk from them. John talked to Bob and Sasha this morning and we got a booth at the market to sell the it, and I rented us an ass ton of equipment; should be delivered within the week. At this rate, we might have the ground ready for planting by the time the kids are out for the summer."

"Oh that's wonderful Daryl! I bet John is excited," Carol exclaimed.

"Yeah, he is. This farm is gonna be good for him too, I hope." Daryl replied as he stuffed fries in his mouth. After a few minutes of eating in silence, Carol spoke up.

"What did you want to talk about? Something is on your mind Pookie; does it have anything to do with the farm?"

Daryl exhaled sharply. "Sort of . . . not exactly. It's John."

"I thought you two were getting along well? What happened?"

"He knows."

"About what?" Carol asked, confused.

"Me and Shane; that I'm gay. We were setting out on the porch last night drinking. He told me some things, and I told him about Shane." Carol didn't respond at first, she just sat thinking about what this may mean.

"Was he upset? Did he say anything bad to you? Because if he was mean to you, Tyreese and I will kick his ass, along with every other person in town."

Daryl laughed. "No, he seemed okay with it; said he'd never known a gay man before. He even offered to let me leave the farm, quit working there. He thought it might be too much for me to handle. He didn't say too much about it though."

"Okay," Carol said. "so, everything is good between you two. What's the problem?"

Daryl sat his plate on the coffee table and relaxed back into the chair. "I had a dream about Shane when we were in Newnan. I haven't dreamt about him in a long time, especially like the one I had. Didn't know why at first; it really bothered me. I thought I was getting over him finally, and then he comes back to haunt me."

"What kind of dream was it Daryl? A bad one, I would assume. Why do you think you had the dream?"

"Yeah, it was bad; the same one I always had. I was in bed in the cabin and got woke up by a loud noise. Shane was lying next to me covered in blood. I've had a lot of nightmares in my life Carol, you know that, and this one is the worst I ever had. I thought it was over, I thought I could move on finally, after all these fucking years."

"Okay, so why do you think you had the dream?"

"I think I'm falling for him, Carol. I've been thinking about him a lot and we got pretty close in Newnan. He's a good man and I have a lot of fun being around him and talking to him. I think I had the dream because I'm starting to have feelings for him. He's not gay; he's never gonna have those feelings for me. I don't know if I'm gonna be able to deal with that; it's gonna be hard to work side by side with him knowing he can't love me."

Carol sighed in empathy; she had been Daryl's friend and loved him since they were children. She had comforted him when his father beat him, when Merle abandoned him, and when he lost Shane, and now her heart was breaking for him again. Daryl stood and took their plates back into the kitchen, when he returned she was standing in the doorway. "Daryl, you know how much I love you, how much everyone loves you. You are one of the best men I have ever known in my life. If John hasn't seen that yet, he will. He will realize how good you are and how special you are, and once he does, he won't be able to stop himself from falling in love with you."

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John laid in bed, unable to fall asleep. He didn't have anything specific on his mind and he wasn't stressing out about anything, so there was no reason for his insomnia. He thought that maybe if he jerked off, he would be able to sleep. He pictured Mary in his head; the last time they had been together. Lindsay and Michael were spending the night with friends and he and Mary had the entire house to themselves. John ran his hand down his bare chest and into his boxers, holding his dick in his hand for the first time in a long time. They started out in the kitchen; he came up behind her while she was washing dishes and started kissing her neck, moving his hands to the front of her body where he took her breasts in his hands. He had carried her upstairs to their bedroom where he undressed her, kissing and touching every inch of her. John was pumping his cock while thinking about the last time he made love to his wife, but his dick wasn't responding. No matter what he saw in his head, his dick wasn't getting any harder. He finally gave up and decided to take a nice, hot shower; maybe that would relax him. 

He stood under the running water, letting it cover his head and body. His eyes were closed and he leaned his head back allowing the heat and steam to cover his face. Mary had always aroused him; she was the only woman he had ever been able to get hard for just by looking at her. He didn't understand what was happening; maybe it was because she's gone, maybe it was because he hasn't seen her face or body in over a year and his memories were playing with his mind. Whatever it was, he needed to relax. He looked down at his flaccid dick and wondered if he would ever use it again.

He began to think about earlier in the day; he had been excited at the prospect of seeing Daryl for lunch, even though he had spent the night at the farmhouse and he had seen him just hours earlier. He had missed him then, and even now he missed him. He hadn't had anyone consistent in his life for over a year now, and enjoyed having someone to spend time with and talk to. He had gotten used to having the man around and noticed that lately, his thoughts had been drifting toward Daryl more and more. He looked down at his dick again and realized that it wasn't as limp as it had been before. He saw Daryl's face in his mind; his long, dark hair and piercing blue eyes. His broad shoulders and defined biceps. He heard the man's voice in his head, deep and husky; heard him talk about Shane and he hell he had endured in his life. John's hand went to his growing cock and slid up and down, pumping it slowly. With his eyes still closed, he rested one hand on the tile wall as his other began to pick up speed on his leaking cock. 

He felt Daryl with him, and felt the man's arms encircle him from behind. He heard him speak low and sultry against his ear. He felt Daryl's hands caressing his skin and his lips stroking his neck. John had never had these kind of thoughts before, and in the back of his mind, he was confused by them, but Daryl was in the forefront, taking control of his thoughts and John allowed it. His dick was rock hard and leaking and he focused wholly on his fantasy. His breathing accelerated and his heart rate sped up until he felt his orgasm peak and he moaned as he purged himself on the porcelain floor. Without dwelling on what he had done and who he had been thinking of when he did it, the farmer cleaned himself up and climbed back into bed. He fell asleep with a soft smile on his face.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small time jump. John and Daryl get invited to a barbeque.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a short one, but I am already well into the next one, so I should be posting again soon. Thank you to everyone who has left kudos and comments. They are my lifeblood. I hope you enjoy this one, let me know what you think.

Chapter Eleven

 

*One week later*

 

Daryl and John made their first appearance at the farmer's market the weekend after Daryl had his talk with Carol, and it had been a very productive day. They had sold all the milk they had collected and made a good bit of money from it. Their booth was one of the most prosperous, and John figured he had met just about everyone in town that day. Rick had stopped by with his wife Lori and Judith. They talked for quite a while and the couple invited John and Daryl over the next day for a barbeque; Carl had come home for the weekend and was very interested in meeting the farmer. Glenn and Maggie stopped by and Daryl took a few moments to touch base with the man. He hadn't taken the time to check in on the dealership; his mind had been occupied with other things. John also met Andrea, Daryl's attorney. She arrived at the market with her sister Amy, and the young college student was eager to introduce him.

Things between Daryl and John had been relatively quiet for the last few days. They worked closely as they always did, and got a lot accomplished. The equipment Daryl ordered had been trickling in since he had placed the orders, and they shared the responsibility of preparing the ground. Their conversations seemed stunted however, as if something had changed between them, but neither were aware of it. The two men still enjoyed each other's company and laughed together, so neither one openly worried about it. Daryl still stole glances at the farmer throughout the day, and more often than not, John would be looking back at him. It made his heart flutter every time, and gave him a sense of hope that he would later talk himself out of. Daryl tried to keep his feeling to himself; he tried to keep the smiles and gazes to a minimum, but it was very hard.

John couldn’t get the memory of that night out of his mind; the night in the shower, the night he thought of Daryl and touched himself. It had been running through his head since it happened. It scared him a little; he was confused and becoming slightly obsessed with figuring out what it all meant. Was he curious? Was he interested in the other man? Or had he just realized that he would never love another woman as long as he lived? He would catch Daryl looking at him sometimes, and sometimes he looked at Daryl. His everyday thoughts seemed to drift to the other man more often, and sometimes, when he wasn't paying attention, it would make him smile. 

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

Daryl went to the farm to pick John up for the barbeque, and took the bike instead of his truck out of habit. He hadn't driven the truck since he had left his position at the dealership, and it didn't occur to him that it would be awkward until he arrived at the farm and realized that John would be soon be sitting behind him with his arms around him and his crotch against his ass. His heart beat increased momentarily at that thought, but when John walked out the front door and walked toward him, he instantly calmed down. They nodded greetings to each other as Daryl handed him the extra helmet from the saddlebag. "You ever ride on a bike before?" Daryl asked as John climbed on behind him.

"Nope, but it doesn't seem too hard to understand; hold on, lean into the curves, and don't let my feet hit the ground. Is there anything else?"

Daryl laughed. "No, I think that about covers it."

John enjoyed his first ride on a motorcycle, more than he probably should have. Closing his eyes tightly, he imagined he was flying. He trusted Daryl and his ability to get them to the Grimes home safely, so he let himself go and enjoy the ride. The feeling of holding Daryl's body so close intensified the effect. By the time Daryl pulled into the drive way, the farmer was hard, and a bit anxious about that. 

It had been a long time since anyone had ridden on the back of his motorcycle, and Daryl had forgotten how good it felt. He always loved giving his friends a ride on the bike, but as they all grew older, those rides became less frequent; having John behind him made that old feeling come back in a more exciting way. The manner in which John’s arms tightened around him and the way his cock gently lay against Daryl's ass had made him hard. When John swung his leg around to get off the bike, Daryl felt a pang of sadness; he had really enjoyed being that close to the other man and feeling his body so close to his own, and looked forward to the ride home

Carl and Judith ran around to the front of the house from the backyard. The young girl wrapped her arms around Daryl's neck as hard as she could. "Daddy said I could take you guys for a ride in the Camaro today!!! He's been giving me some pointers and I've had one lesson with the instructor. We can only go around the block, but he says if y'all are willing to go, I can drive ya."

"Hold up a minute Asskicker," Daryl squeaked as he carefully removed Judith's arms from around his neck. "I'll ride with ya, but I don't know about John. He just had his very first motorcycle ride; he may not be ready to risk his life again so soon."

"Uncle Daryl!" Judith exclaimed as she pouted in annoyance. "Mr. Rollins knows I won't let anything happen to either one of ya. It's just around the block. Tell them Carl; he went out with me last night."

The two men looked at Carl and he nodded his head in confirmation. "She did pretty good. Needs to work on her reaction time, and she needs to focus more, but her skills aren't bad considering she's only been doing this for a couple of weeks." He looked at John and extended his hand. "I'm Carl, nice to meet you sir."

John smiled. "Nice to finally meet you too Carl." The farmer then turned his attention to the ball of energy in front of him. "Little lady, I'd be honored to have you as a chauffeur. Maybe once you get your license, you can be my personal driver, huh. I'd buy you the hat and everything."

Judith squealed and began jumping up and down. She wrapped her arms around John. "Oh my God, that would be awesome!!!" Just then, Rick and Lori came around the side of the house.

"What is going on out here?" Lori asked, shaking her head at her daughter's behavior. 

Startled by her mother's presence, the young girl tore herself away from the farmer, and turned to face the woman. "Uncle Daryl said he'd ride with me, and Mr. Rollins said that once I get my license, I can be his personal driver, like a chauffeur with a hat and everything!"

"He did, did he?" Lori said with her hand on her hips. "Your dad and I will have to talk about that." The woman smiled at the two new arrivals, and hugged them both. She looked at them suspiciously, "You two shouldn't encourage her, you're going to create a monster if you do."

Rick spoke up as he shook hands with the two men. "She's not gonna have her license for a few months Lori, that should give her plenty of time to improve. Besides, if she does anything to put a scratch on that car, she won't be driving again until she can buy one on her own." Judith scoffed at her dad's words, but knew he wasn't joking around. She knew it was important to him that his children be responsible and trustworthy, and she wanted to make him proud. 

"I'll practice every day dad; you know I will. You know how important this is to me; I'm not going to do anything to risk losing your trust." she said to her father, her eyes full of sincerity.

"I know sweetheart," Rick said and put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's go out back. I don't want the burgers to burn."


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bar-b-que at the Grimes house. Michonne is a very wise woman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the lateness and shortness of this update. I have been pretty sick this past week or so and have not had the time or the inclination to write. I hope you enjoy, let me know what you think.

Chapter Twelve

 

When the small group turned the corner of the house into the back yard, Daryl recognized Michonne standing in front of the grill flipping hamburgers. He walked over to the woman and hugged her. "I didn't know you would be here. Where is Andrea and Andre?"

"Andrea took Amy and Andre shopping. He's going to be starting a summer preschool program next month and she wanted to buy him some clothes. I would have gone with them, but I can't shop with that woman; she gets manic when she shops. I bet she could power the whole mall with the amount of energy she expends." Daryl laughed. He knew exactly what Michonne was talking about; the woman had dragged him and Shane shopping every time there was a special occasion or event. He didn't complain too much; they had been the hottest thing going at senior prom. 

"There's someone I want you to meet." he told her and motioned for John to come meet the woman he was speaking to. "Michonne, this is John Rollins; he bought the Greene farm. John this is Michonne Davis." The new acquaintances shook hands and greeted each other warmly. "Michonne is my lawyer, well one of my lawyers. She and Andrea represent the dealership.

"And I've been Lori's best friend since college," she said. “So, how do you like our little Podunk town?"

"It's great. I've met a lot of nice people and Daryl has helped me so much. I met Andrea at the market yesterday. She seems real nice." John replied.

"Yeah, she is. She's the best." Michonne said with a dreamy look on her face. Just then, Rick walked up and tried to take the spatula from her. "I don't think so Rick. I don't like my burgers crunchy," she said with a laugh.

"Fine then. If you want to cook dinner for me, I'll let you; I'll set back and watch. Would either of your gentleman like a beer?" Rick asked.

"Sure, I'll take one." Daryl said.

"Me too," John said, and as he followed the other men to the cooler he began thinking that he might want to talk to Michonne later. 

After a dinner of perfectly grilled burgers, John, Daryl, and Carl jumped into the Camaro with Judith behind the wheel. Carl was sitting up front while the other two men squeezed into the back. Their shoulders and legs were touching, but neither man showed any concern or discomfort in it. It was less scary than they thought it would be; Judith drove carefully and slowly. Very slowly. She drove them up the street, around the corner and back; it took fifteen minutes. When they returned, all three men praised her skill and cautiousness, making sure Rick knew to give her praise too. As the sun began to set, Lori and Michonne started cleaning up and taking things inside the house. John leapt up and offered to help, hoping he would have the chance to ask Michonne the questions that had been going through his mind since he met her.

"Thank you John; we rarely get offers like that," Lori said sarcastically. "You can help Michonne put up the leftovers if you want. Just put them in the fridge; I'll start on the dishes." John helped Michonne carry the dishes inside, and as they were wrapping up the food, he took his chance.

"Can I ask you a question?" He said shyly. "It's personal, so you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Don't worry, I won't," she said, smiling. "What do you want to know?"

He hesitated before speaking. "Are you and Andrea together?"

The woman looked at him with curiosity. "If you're asking if we're in a relationship, then yes. We live together."

"I just moved here and already know a gay man and a lesbian couple. That's a little weird for me."

"No gays and lesbians where you're from?"

"Not that I ever knew. Daryl told me about him and Shane; they were together for a long time. How long have you and Andrea been together?"

"Three years. It took a long time for me to realize how I felt about her." When they were finished putting the food up, Michonne took him by the arm. "Come with me; let's talk." She led him into the living room and they sat on the couch together. “When I graduated from college, I got married. I was happy with Mike; we were good together. When I got pregnant with Andre, we were both excited. After he was born, Mike decided he didn't like being a father. I guess reality didn't meet his expectations. Anyway, he left when Andre was eight months old; we were divorced soon after. I was real depressed and needed a friend, so I called Lori. She invited me to come stay with her and Rick for a while, and I did. That's how I met Andrea; we hit it off right away and she convinced me to move here and be her partner at the law firm. I didn't know she was a lesbian, she never told me. When I started having feelings for her, I freaked out. I had never looked at another woman like that and it scared me. I didn't know how to tell her and thinking she was straight, well, I didn't want to lose our friendship over that. It turned out, she felt the exact same way."

"So, are you bisexual?" He asked, very intrigued by her story.

"Technically, I suppose so, but Andrea is it for me. I've never been attracted to any other woman, and I'll never love anyone, male or female, the way I love her. It takes time to adjust, John. It takes a lot of soul searching to realize what you want when it's something that never made it on your radar. Daryl is a patient man; he'll wait for you to understand it."

"What does that mean? Understand what?” John said, confused.

"I saw the way you were looking at him tonight; when you thought no one was watching. You look at him like he is a mystery; like you want to know more of him."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," John replied, unable to look her in the eye.

"I'm sure you don't, but you will."

I'm straight, I can't have feelings for him. I was married for Christ's sake."

"I was too once, remember?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Daryl get a few things done at the farm, but John has a hard time sleeping.

Daryl took a short cut back to the farm from the Grimes' house. The sun was starting to set and John didn't mind; it was a beautiful evening and he was enjoying the ride. Daryl turned off the main road and drove into the woods, stopping a few minutes later in a clearing by the lake. "I used to come out here all the time when I was little; when things got bad at home and Merle wasn't around. I spent a lot of nights out here wishing for better than what I had," Daryl said as he and John walked to the edge of the water. The two men stood side by side watching the sun set, and Daryl took a step closer to the other man. "I didn't think I would ever love anyone again after Shane," he blindly reached out and wound his fingers through John's, "but here you are." Daryl turned to face the man and swept his thumb across John's cheek. The farmer held his breath as Daryl leaned closer and swept his tongue across his closed lips. John was surprised, but let it happen; he melted into the kiss and opened his mouth to Daryl. He felt his cock jerk in response to the softness of Daryl's lips; they were gentle and moved slowly, caressing him into a state of tranquility. He didn't realize when Daryl's lips moved away from his own and moved down his neck, or when Daryl's hand moved from his face to his hips and pulled them closer together. John felt the other man's hard member against his own and moaned low and deep. 

"You're beautiful John. I want to help you; help you learn who you are," Daryl said into his ear as he licked a stripe down to his clavicle. Daryl's hand swiftly unbuttoned the farmer's pants and they fell to the ground. John felt Daryl's hand wrap around him and the man's thumb slide across the head of his cock. He felt weak in the knees and wrapped his arms around Daryl's neck to keep himself standing. John whined as Daryl's hand moved up and down his shaft; he begged for more, he begged Daryl to not stop touching him. Daryl whispered into his ear; words he couldn't decipher, but loved hearing all the same. As the man's hand sped up, John could feel his orgasm approach and buried his face in Daryl's neck to suppress his cry.

John awoke suddenly as he came all over his hand and bed sheets. He sat up, trying to catch his breath and wondering where he was. As he looked around the room he realized exactly where he was; his bedroom at the farmhouse, and he was alone, with his hand on his dick. He fell back onto his pillow and exhaled sharply. Michonne had put a lot of shit into his head that day and it was just stuck in there, that's all it was. He couldn't deny the dream though, whatever it meant, and it ran through his head all over again. He couldn't deny that, once again, he had come thinking of Daryl Dixon. There was a connection between them, they had both lost the people that they love under horribly tragic circumstances and struggled with moving on with their lives, but did that mean he was suddenly in love with the man? Had he become gay in Georgia and not noticed? John would admit to himself that Daryl was attractive, he was a good man and good company. The man had given him the help he needed and had given him a support system to rely on. He had also, quite effectively, taken his mind off the loss of his wife and children. John got out of bed and took a shower, and when he climbed back under his sheets, he fell asleep thinking about his dream.

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The next morning, John awoke to the sound of a tractor. He looked outside his bedroom window and saw Daryl heading out to the field. He quickly put on his jeans and t-shirt, and ran downstairs and outside to catch him. Running at top speed he stopped in front of the moving tractor and Daryl killed the engine. "What the fuck man?" Daryl said and jumped down. "Did the cows run away?" he said, laughing.

"No man. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I was wondering what you're doing out here so early. I wasn't expecting you till later." John said, trying to catch his breath.

"Woke up at around three this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. After a couple of hours figured I might as well get ready and come on over. Doesn't hurt to get an early start; we only got a couple of weeks till the kids get here, and we need to be as ready as possible."

"You're right about that," the farmer replied. "I'm gonna go shower and then start breakfast. I was thinking we could work on getting the ground tilled up today and if we have time, start on putting the irrigation system together."

"Sounds good," Daryl replied and climbed back onto the tractor. "I'll get as much done out here as I can. Let me know when breakfast is ready." John nodded at him as he walked back to the house. The farmer put the coffee on before he went upstairs to take a shower. He tried to put the dream out of his mind, and had succeeded until he looked into the man's eyes; they looked different in his dream, they had been deeper and more clear. He shook his head underneath the spray of the shower to get the thought out of his head. After drying off and putting on his work clothes, he went downstairs and started mixing waffle batter and frying bacon; turning on the radio to distract his mind. As the two sat across from each other, John tried not to look at the other man, but felt Daryl's eyes on him.

"Are you okay?" Daryl asked. He was bothered by the fact that the farmer wouldn't look at him.

John finally looked up. "I don't know. I got a lot of stuff going through my head. I didn't sleep well last night either."

"If there's something you need to talk about, I'm here." Daryl said. "We had a pretty intense conversation last week and I understand if you have questions. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me; I remember when everybody found out I'm gay and that Shane and I were together. It was a difficult situation for everyone. If you got something to say about it, don't hesitate. If you want me to leave the farm, I will."

"No," John said. "I need you here. It's not that; I really don't care that you're gay. I'm just having a hard time adjusting to everything. I've been thinking about Mary a lot lately and I've been having these dreams. I don't know how to deal with it. I'm confused."

Daryl finished his coffee and cleared his throat. "I want to help if I can. If you want to talk, I want to listen. I can't guarantee that it will make you feel better, but it won't hurt to try."

John nodded his head. "Maybe," he said solemnly and took his empty plate to the sink. "I don't even know what to talk about right now."

Daryl stood and walked to the sink. "Take your time; you don't have to talk to me if you don't feel comfortable with it. You've made a lot of friends here, they'll listen if talk to them." Daryl wanted to put his arms around the other man and comfort him, but knew it was too soon for something like that; he wanted John to come to him for comfort.

*****************************************************************************

It took Daryl a couple of hours to finish tilling that one section, and by the time he was done, John had already fed and watered the cows and goats. When he got back to the barn, John was working on the irrigation system. After Daryl returned the tractor to it's rightful place he helped John set up the water supply. It was way past lunchtime when they finished and both men were dripping in sweat.

"Fuck," Daryl said, wiping his brow. "I need a fucking shower now."

John laughed. "Me too man. Why don't we go inside; you can take the downstairs shower and we'll both get cleaned up, then go to the diner for lunch."

"God, that's the best idea I've heard all day. You, my friend, are brilliant."

"Not brilliant, just starving." John replied. When they arrived back at the house, Daryl made a beeline for the downstairs bathroom. John went upstairs to his ensuite and was half undressed before he realized Daryl didn't have any clean clothes to change into. He wrapped a towel around his lower half and took a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from his drawer and took them downstairs to Daryl. He was about to walk right in the door before he remembered that there was a naked man behind it. He heard the water running and knew Daryl would be hidden behind the curtain, but he still felt weird walking in. He knocked on the door.

"I brought you clothes to change into ," he said loud enough to be heard over the shower spray.

"Cool man. Just lay them on the counter," Daryl replied. John slowly opened the door and a cloud of steam hit him in the face. He intended to set the clothes down and bolt back out the door, but as he turned to leave, he got a glimpse of Daryl's body through the clear, plastic curtain, and it stopped him in his tracks. John had been on the baseball team all through high school and had shared the community showers with his teammates, but in all that time he had never seen a body like this. He and Daryl were the same height, but the man's nakedness made him look taller. He could only see the outline of the man's body, but it was breathtaking. His torso looked sculpted and his thighs were thick and solid. When he realized he had been standing there longer than was acceptable, he quickly made his exit and ran upstairs to take his cold shower.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunch at the diner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has given kudos and left comments on this fic. I love all of Norman's characters and I love putting them together. I hope you enjoy this chapter; let me know what you think.

Chapter 14

 

Amy was at the table before their asses hit the seat. "Hi Daryl, hello Mr. Rollins," she said cheerfully.

"Hey Amy," Daryl said. "Uh, can I have a menu? I think I'm gonna do something different today."

"Are you okay? You haven't got heat stroke, have you?" the young woman said sarcastically.

"No," he huffed at her. "I'm just living on the edge, ya know. Crawling out of my comfort zone."

"Alright, but Mr. Rollins needs to let me know if you need an ambulance, okay." Amy said, looking at John.

"I will, and you can call me John."

"Okay John." She gave him a bright smile and touched his shoulder, taking a moment to run her fingers over the materiel of his shirt. "Let me get you those menus. I'll be back in a second."

Daryl turned his head and watched her walk away. "I think she's flirting with you," he said in a sing song voice. 

"I doubt it," was all the farmer was able to say before she returned with two menus.

"Take your time; I'll get your drinks while you're deciding."

"I'll take some sweet tea, please." Daryl said as he scanned the list of options.

"Me too Amy, thanks," John said, opening his menu in an attempt to avoid another touch by the waitress. When she was out of earshot of the two men, Daryl looked up from his menu. 

"I've been thinking about what you said this morning, about adjusting to things. I don't want to upset you or piss you off, but have you considered dating again? I don't want you to think I'm meddling in your business or telling you what to do, but maybe having someone to spend time with would help. “He felt like a hypocrite suggesting it; he hadn't considered dating in ten years, but if the farmer was willing to date someone, he would think about it.

John had been spending time with someone, and enjoying it quite a bit, but didn't want to tell Daryl that in reference to dating. "I don't know if I'm in the right frame of mind for a relationship. I guess I'm afraid that I wouldn't be good for anyone, but that hasn't stopped me from thinking about it," he said, a small smirk forming on his lips.

Before Daryl could respond, Amy returned with their drinks. "Here ya go gentlemen. Have you decided what you want?"

"Yeah, I'll take the country fried steak with gravy, potatoes and, uh, asparagus please." Daryl said and handed his menu to Amy.

"I'll take the same," John said and made the mistake of looking up at the young woman, because she gave him a wink and a smile. Daryl was looking at him expectedly as she walked away, and before he could open his mouth, John chimed in. "She's in college man; she's way too young for me." 

"I completely agree," Daryl said. "I'm sure she'll find someone else to throw her affection on once she's hanging out with all the kids at the farm. Oh, speaking of that, according to Carl, finals are this week, so the college kids can start next Monday. The high school kids have finals next week so we got a couple weeks before they show up."

"We need to get seeds; they need to be sown as soon as possible. We aren't gonna have a lot of free time for the next two weeks." He paused in his thoughts and then continued speaking. "When the kids start working you and I can take a vacation, go somewhere and let them take care of things." The farmer said laughing.

"Shit, I'd be willing to pay for everything. We can get a cabin in the mountains and I can teach you how to hunt and track. Man, we should do that anyway. We'd have a great time." Daryl said enthusiastically.

"So, you've got it all planned out, huh?" John said smirking.

Daryl, embarrassed by his exuberance, blushed slightly. "It's been a long time since I've been able to spend time out there; since before Merle died. I miss it a lot."

"I've never been camping; I've been to plenty of bonfires, but camping wasn't a big thing when I was growing up." Amy arrived with their lunch and both Daryl and John dived right in.

"I spent a lot of time in the woods growing up," Daryl said around a mouthful of potatoes. "I had to fend for myself when Merle wasn't around, and I had to hunt for my dinner. Between him and my granddaddy, I learned to hunt and track pretty good. I've spent weeks out there by myself before. I'd love to get back out there and I'd love to take you out with me." 

Daryl's enthusiasm caught John right in the brain; now he was just as excited by the prospect of being out in the woods as Daryl was. "That sounds great," he replied. "I would love to do that. I don't have any equipment though; I'd have to buy a sleeping bag and all that, but I think it would be fun."

"I got an attic full of camping equipment, you won't have to buy anything. If you're really interested, I can plan a trip for us. Maybe we can ask Rick and Carl if they want to go too; if that's okay with you."

"Yeah, that's fine. A good old fashioned boys weekend; haven't had one of those since before Mary and I got married."

"I guess you're overdo then," Daryl said. Amy came to the table and refilled their drinks and took their empty plates.

"Would you gentlemen like a piece of cobbler for dessert?" she asked.

"Give us two to go Amy," Daryl said, "and I'll take the bill when it's ready."

"You don't have to do that Daryl; it was my idea to come here for lunch. I got it."

"No, I'm paying because you agreed to go camping with me, and that's something good I have to look forward to. I suspect spending time with you out in the woods is gonna be a helluva lot easier than spending it with Merle," he said happily.

************************************************************************************************************************************** 

The only thing left to do that day was feed the animals; John and Daryl sat on the porch as the cattle grazed, each with a beer and Daryl with a cigarette. They didn't say much to each other, just sat in silence as the evening came. Daryl's heart was thrumming with anticipation of potentially spending time alone, in the middle of nowhere, with the farmer. He thought of all the things he could teach him, things besides hunting and tracking. He was not paying attention to anything but his thoughts, and didn't hear John speaking to him.

"Daryl, are you okay? Got something on your mind?" The farmer asked with concern.

"Sorry, I was thinking about the camping trip; just making plans in my head. Do you have a Farmer’s Almanac? I can look at the weather predictions, they're always pretty accurate. Don't want to go when it's too awful hot."

"Yeah, I got one. It's in a stack of magazines next to the couch. You can have it; take it home and start planning. You're getting me excited about this."

"You'll never experience anything like it. Being so close to nature makes you feel alive; it makes you feel like everything can be brand new." Daryl said excitedly. His eyes were big and bright, and John had never seen anything as entrancing in his life.

"I can't wait," the farmer replied. "Let's go inside and I'll grab it for you." They walked into the farmhouse together and John went straight to the stack and pulled it out. Their fingers brushed together as he handed the book to Daryl. Both men were surprised at the small touch, but neither one made an effort to move; they just looked at each other. Daryl's eyes were wide, but not in fear, and John was looking at him with a bewildered look on his face. Finally, the two men broke away from each other.

" I need to head home," Daryl said slowly, still looking in John's eyes. 

"Yeah, it's getting late," the farmer replied. "Let me know how the planning comes along. Something brand new is why I moved here in the first place."

**************************************************************************************************************************************

After he watched Daryl disappear down the drive, John took his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a business card. He dialed the cell number on the back and waited two rings before the other person picked up.

"Hello."

"Hello, Michonne? It's John Rollins. Can I meet you tomorrow? I really need to talk to you."


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Daryl are jealous, and John has a heart to heart with Michonne and Andrea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter threw me for a loop. I would like to send my eternal thanks to KrissyG927 for pushing me in the right direction. Also, a HUGE shout out to my beautiful Bella_Monoxide for sacrificing two and a half hours of her life to listen to me vent and giving me some awesome story ideas which you will all be seeing soon, I hope. These two are my besties and I love them more than words can say.   
> I hope y'all enjoy this chapter, it was a struggle. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Chapter 15

 

Daryl stopped at the diner the next morning and picked up breakfast for John and himself. When he arrived at the farmhouse, John was sitting in his chair with a cup of coffee looking out the front window. "I thought I'd bring breakfast this morning, is that okay?

"Yeah, that sounds great. Thanks." Daryl took plates from the cabinet as John poured coffee. "I have to meet Michonne at her office at noon." The farmer said as they sat down to eat.

"You got some legal problems?" Daryl asked. 

"Not problems, I asked her the other day if she could look into some stuff for me; the deed to the farm, stuff like that. She called me last night and said she had some questions, so we're gonna have lunch at her office."

"Alright, I need to go to the dealership anyway; haven't talked to Glenn in a while and I need to make sure the place hasn't burned down and I'm not bankrupt."

John laughed. "I'm sure everything is just fine. I thought we could see about getting some seeds today. Where is a good place to get them from?"

"There's a nursery about twenty miles out of town. It's small, but all their seeds are fresh. They buy produce from their local guy and sell the seeds. Everything Hershel bought from them was perfect. If we leave now, we can get back in time for you to meet with Michonne." 

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

The ride to the nursery was a quiet one. John was nervous about his meeting with Michonne and his mind was jumbled. He didn't even know what he was going to talk about; he had no idea where to even begin with this. He was beginning to wonder if there was anything to talk about at all. He didn't notice when the truck came to a stop until Daryl opened the passenger door for him. "Wake up John; we're here. Did you not sleep well again last night?"

They walked slowly to the door and Daryl eyed the farmer. "I slept great; didn't wake up once, didn't dream either as far as I know. I'm just tired; haven't been taking real good care of myself since I got here."

"I hope you aren't getting sick. Tell you what, I'll do a little work when we get back, but when you get back from your meeting with Michonne I want you to go to bed; get some rest, drink plenty of fluids."

"Yes, Dr. Dixon." John replied and smirked as the automatic door opened for them. They spent about an hour deciding on what to purchase. In the end, they choose corn, soybeans, tomatoes, and for themselves, watermelon. While walking around the store, a woman came up to the men and offered her assistance.

"Liza?" Daryl asked after the woman approached them.

"Yes, uh . . . Daryl? Oh my goodness! It's been years, how are you?" she asked as she hugged the man and kissed his cheek.

"Doing good; how 'bout yourself?" The woman clung close to Daryl and brushed her hand against his. 

"I'm doing just fine. What are you doing here? I heard that Herschel passed away; I was so sorry to hear that. I loved that old man."

"Yeah, everybody did." He paused, remembering that John was standing right there. "Liza, this here is John Rollins. He bought the Greene farm and I'm helping him get it ready. John, this is Liza, she went to school with us and worked at the farm for a year before she and her parents moved here." 

"It's so nice to meet you John, and it's so exciting to know the farm will be up and running again soon." Liza said shaking the farmer's hand.

"Thank you. I'm excited too, and I'm grateful for Daryl's help."

"Are you gonna bring the kids in to work like Herschel did?" she asked and laid her hand on Daryl's arm as she led the men to the cash register.

"Yeah, we only have a couple of weeks before they get here and we're trying to get everything ready for them," John answered. 

"Well, I wish you two luck." Liza said as she bagged up their seeds. "I'm happy to know that someone gonna get that place going again."

"Thanks," the two men said together. "I'm sure you'll see us soon. It was good to see you again," Daryl said as he and John walked out to the truck. The farmer was a little confused; when he saw how Liza was looking at Daryl and how she had kissed and touched him, it seemed like there was a familiarity between them, and he was interested to find out how deep that familiarity went.

"So you've known Liza for a long time, huh?" he asked, trying to find out as much information without being obvious.

"We've known each other since first grade; she's cool." Daryl answered. "She's a great person too; real kind and friendly."

"I got that impression," he said in an almost whisper. "She's very pretty; is she married?"

"No, I don't think so. I haven't seen her in a long time, but I haven't heard anything. I can ask Carol though; I think she kept in touch with her." Was John attracted to Liza, Daryl asked himself. Although he had suggested the man start dating again, he didn't think John would seriously consider it. Now he was beginning to regret encouraging the farmer to enter the dating pool. 

"Uh, you don't have to; I was just curious. She just seems like the kind of woman that would be married with kids." He wanted to just come out and ask the other man if there had been anything between Daryl and the woman, but he didn't know how to do that. Being gay wasn't a topic he was well versed in.

John remained quiet for a while, but Daryl was curious as to what the farmer was thinking about. Even if John would never want him, the man deserved some happiness, and if he could find it with Liza, Daryl would help if he could. "We can go back to see her anytime you want, ya know. Or you could come down by yourself, if you want to get to know her better."

"Oh shit . . . no . . . that's not what I meant. Shit, I'm not good at this. I just thought that maybe you two had something going on before. The way she looked at you and touched you, just seemed flirty. I know you're gay, and I was a little confused."

Daryl smirked and huffed out a laugh. "There was never anything between us. She's just very friendly, like I said before. I've never been with a woman; I kissed one once, well she kissed me. It was Liza; she cornered me in the barn one night. I think I always knew I liked men, but that kiss confirmed it. She's real nice and I didn't want to hurt her feelings, so I let it happen."

John was somewhat relieved to hear Daryl's answer. "Okay, I was just confused. I thought you wouldn't have liked that sort of thing. It's none of my business, but thanks for explaining that."

"Not a problem; I'm glad that you feel that you can ask questions like that. I'll be more than happy to answer any ones you have. I can still help you with Liza if you want, I don't mind."

Now John laughed. "No thank you, she's not really my type anymore."

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

John left for Michonne's office as soon they got back to the farm; he left Daryl in the barn getting the tractor ready. The lawyer had text him the address and he was listening to Siri tell him where to turn. There was a young man sitting at the reception desk when he walked in; the wooden placard in front of him said Milton Mamet. "Good afternoon sir, how may I help you?"

"Uh, hi Milton. My name is John Rollins; I'm here to see Michonne."

"Yes, Mr. Rollins. Ms. Davis told me you would be coming to the office today and to tell her when you arrived. Give me one moment to let her know you're here," the young man said before walking down the long corridor. John looked around the office while waiting for Michonne; the last time he had been in a lawyer's office was right after Mary and the kids had died. He felt uncomfortable then, and he did today as well. His only comfort was that he was not here for legal reasons; on the other hand, the real reason he was here almost cancelled out that comfort. Soon he heard footsteps coming toward him. "Hello Daryl," Michonne said and shook the man's hand. "I was so glad you called; I was hoping you would." She said as she led the man to her office.

"I don't think I had a choice. There's been some things happen since we talked at the bar-b-que." The farmer sat in a big cushion chair in front of Michonne's desk. 

"These things involve Daryl, I assume," she said. There was a knock on Michonne's door and Andrea came walking in with two large paper bags.

“I hope I'm not interrupting, but I brought lunch. John, I hope you like Chinese," Andrea said.

"Chinese is fine," John replied. "I forgot it was lunch time."

"We take care of our clients, and as long as we're dispensing advice, you're a client," Michonne said and handed the man a box of sweet and sour chicken.

"I know you probably weren't expecting me to be here, so I can take mine to my office," Andrea offered.

"No, you don't have to leave. I assume you know why I'm here," John said.

"I told her about our conversation Sunday; I hope you don't mind. I thought she would be able to help you learn how to relate to Daryl better," said Michonne.

"Thank you; I appreciate that. I could use all the help I can get with this."

"Okay, so what’s happened since Sunday?" Michonne asked.

"I had this real intense dream Sunday night. I thought it was just because of what we talked about, but now I'm not sure."

"A dream about Daryl, I assume?" Andrea asked.

"Yeah, it seemed so real. It took me a minute to get my bearings when I woke up,"

"So why do you think it wasn't because of what we talked about?" Michonne asked. 

John took a deep breath and let it out harshly. "Because it wasn't the first time I've thought about him like that. I use to be married, but that ended a little over a year ago. I miss her and still think about her a lot, but the last couple times, it ended up being Daryl's face I was seeing."

"Okay,“ Andrea said. "Did the dream upset you or make you angry?"

"No, I was just confused. I've never had a dream like that before; not about a man anyway."

"Alright, what else happened?" Asked Michonne.

"Yesterday we were having lunch at T's and Daryl decides he's gonna take me camping."

"Just the two of you?" Andrea asked.

"No, he said he'd ask Rick and Carl too. So I guess it's not what I thought it was."

"What did you think it was?"

"I'm not sure. I guess I thought he meant for us to have some time alone, but of course we're always alone when we're on the farm."

"Yes, but you're always busy on the farm," Andrea said. "You aren't ever really alone together are you?"

"Sometimes at the end of the day, we'll sit on the porch and have a beer and talk. That's how I found out about him and Shane; we'd been drinking whiskey that night."

"I can't believe he told you about Shane." Andrea said. "He never really talks about him to any of us, unless it can't be avoided. I'm not surprised he was drunk though; thinking about him still upsets Daryl."

"Well, I told him about my wife and I guess he thought that hearing his story would help me. Anyway, I'm still looking forward to the camping trip. I've never been camping before and he told me he would teach me how to hunt and track. I'm excited about it."

"Well that sounds promising, even if you two won't be by yourselves. You never know what can happen John, don't be too annoyed by it." Michonne said, trying to make him feel better about his disappointment.

"I know. It's amazing, but just knowing he's around makes me feel better. When I first moved here, I was in bad shape. I couldn't stop thinking about Mary, but now I don't as much anymore."

"That's wonderful to hear John." Andrea said smiling. "Does Daryl know that?"

"I've told him how much it means to me that he's helping with the farm. I wouldn't be able to do this without him. Every time I tell him, he tells me to shut the fuck up and get back to work. He always tells me that just letting him spend time on the farm is all the thanks he needs. I figure that has something to do with his memories of Shane."

"I'm sure it does, but trust me, if Daryl didn't like you or what he was doing, even his memories wouldn't keep him on the farm." Andrea said. "Has anything else happened?"

"Today we went to this nursery in the next county to buy seeds and the woman who worked there kept flirting with him. It was subtle, but I could see the way she was looking at him. She hugged him, gave him a kiss on the cheek and kept touching his arm. She seemed real familiar with him. Her name is Liza and he said that she went to school with y'all."

Andrea's jaw hit the floor. "Oh my god! I remember her. She chased anything with a pump handle; she slept with the entire football team. Oh good lord, she was flirting with Daryl? I know she knows he's gay. I'm pretty sure he and Shane were together before she moved away."

"I don't know about that, but all he said was that she was nice and friendly, and that he let her kiss him in the barn one time."

Both women's eyes blew wide open. "I can't believe that. Everyone knew she was loose; I can't see Daryl letting that happen, even if he wasn't gay." Andrea said, shocked by what the farmer had told them.

"He did it because he didn't want to hurt her feelings. He said that even if he hadn't known he was gay before the kiss, he definitely knew after." After the laughter died down, the three got serious again.

"Is there anything else?" Michonne asked.

"No, that's plenty for two days, I think." John replied.

"Okay, so what does all this mean? What have we learned from this?" Andrea offered. "We know that you've been thinking about him, even in your sleep. We know that you want to spend time with him, alone. We know that you appreciate what he's done for you, helping with the farm, introducing you to everybody. And we know that your jealous of other people flirting with him."

Michonne smiled at her girlfriend. "That's how it started with me. I looked forward to seeing her every day. The thought of not seeing her or being near her hurt my heart. It drove me crazy because even though I knew what I was feeling, I was so afraid that she wouldn't feel the same. Just because she likes women, didn't mean she would like me."

"I don't have a clue to what he thinks,” John said. “He's the type of guy who does nice things for people, so I can't assume that means anything special. I wouldn't know how to approach the subject anyway. Should I do something or say something? I'm still not even sure what it is that I'm feeling."

"What worked for us may not work for you. Andrea made the first move thank God, and it took a very long time until we were on the same page, but once I was able to let go of my fear and accept what was happening, who I was, I was happier than I had ever been." 

"You'll learn more about yourself as time goes by." Andrea offered to him. "The more time you spend together talking and learning about each other, the easier it will be to accept the changes that are happening in your life. I'm sure Daryl is struggling with this too; I know he has to be thinking about Shane and is probably afraid to start something new. There has to be a level of comfort and trust between the two of you before either of you will be able to admit anything to each other or yourselves."

"So I should just let whatever happens, happen? I need to know if there is a chance he could feel something for me. I have never been interested in another man before; I'm freaking out about it. I still don't know what it means, I don't know what it means about me. What if I'm wrong; what if these feelings aren't what I think they are. Fuck, I'm not gonna be able to function around him anymore."

"John, you are way more worried about this than you need to be. Yes, let what happens happen. Let it develop naturally; you will grow closer. Michonne and my relationship came about the very same way; we had become close; we depended on each other, supported each other and one day I walked up to her and kissed her out of excitement. Everything changed after that and we were ready for it. Both you and Daryl will be ready too someday, just stick by him, support him and let him support you and one day it will seem like you've been together forever."


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl reflects on what was, and what is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an all Daryl chapter and very short. A little insight into what he is thinking and feeling. This chapter is dedicated to FlandusLover1, who politely requested Daryl's pov. I am writing the next one as we speak.  
> FYI, this chapter also contains my crack ship. If you don't know what that is, you do now. lol  
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Chapter 16

 

Daryl watched John leave in his truck to go meet Michonne. He was still thinking about the ride home from the nursery and was even more confused about what was going on with the farmer. Even though he didn't like the idea of John being with someone else, he could understand how the farmer could be attracted to Liza; he was straight and she was very flirtatious. When John had denied being attracted to her, Daryl had wondered how that could be; she was very pretty and always had been. He would admit to himself that he was slightly jealous of Liza when John asked about her, but he had been trying to ignore his attraction and John dating a woman would certainly help with that, he hoped. Then the farmer had said something very cryptic; Daryl barely heard the words, but they were stuck in his head. Actually it was just the one word, the last word; "anymore".

John had said that Liza wasn't his type . . . anymore. Daryl had never seen a picture of Mary, so he didn't know what physical differences there were between the two women. Liza was a brunette, so maybe Mary was also? Liza was fairly tall, maybe John was looking for a short girl? He had no idea what the farmer had meant by that and it was going to drive him crazy unless he found out. He didn't want to approach John about it though, it was none of his business, and he wouldn't be responsible for dredging up painful memories. Although meeting John had caused Daryl's own dreadful memories to resurface. 

His mind wondered back to Sunday and the bar-b-que at Rick's house. It had felt good to have John on the back of his bike; the man's arms around his waist holding tight. It reminded him of all the times he and Shane had taken long drives into the woods for pic-nic's and hunting trips. He thought about the first time he had taken Shane to the lake where he spent most of his lonely childhood. That had been the night they had confessed their love for each other and touched each other for the first time. The fear both men had felt that night was palpable; even now just thinking about it and wanting to share that place with John caused his heart to spasm. 

He had watched John carefully while they were at Rick's. Daryl tried to hide it, but didn't know if he had been successful. He was almost sure Rick had noticed by the way he kept smiling at him, but if he did he was gracious enough to not bring it up. John reminded him of Shane in so many ways; he was smart, kind, and fun to be around. The man was also very attractive; he had strong, broad shoulders and eyes that bore holes in your soul. 

When he finished tilling the largest plot of land and returned the tractor to its rightful place he decided that he wasn't interested in driving to the dealership anymore and would call Glenn. He walked around the property while receiving news that all was well; they were not bankrupt and the building was still standing. When he disconnected the call Daryl realized that he had unconsciously made his way to the back of the property and was standing in front of the old cabin. He sighed heavily and debated whether or not to go inside. After ten minutes of staring at the worn, wooden door, he took the steps that led him to it.

The place hadn't changed since the last time he had been there. All of the furniture, including the bed still remained. Daryl looked around and a flood of memories came crashing down on him. He sat on the edge of the bed and thought about the first time he and Shane had made love. He thought about all the conversations they had, including the one in which they decided that they wanted to be husbands to each other, and the last time they had been together; it had been the morning before Shane was killed. He had been determined to never walk into that cabin ever again, but he had failed, as he had at so many things since he lost the love of his life.

"Fuck," he said, defeatedly. "Why did you have to leave me Shane? I loved you; I still love you. I finally found someone I want to be with and it can never happen. I wanted to die when you left me; I felt like that for so long. I thought I had finally put you away and now you're back." Daryl held back his tears and tried to think back on all of the good memories. He missed Shane's touch more than anything else and imagined that the man was there with him again.

Daryl closed his eyes and laid down on the bed. Slowly unfastening his pants, he pushed them down to his knees and took his dick in his right hand. He could see and feel Shane above him; felt his hand moving up and down on him. He felt the man's hot breath against his skin, and as Daryl stroked himself, he imagined that it was Shane's mouth, hot and wet, wrapped around his leaking cock. Daryl rocked into his own hand and moaned into the empty space of the cabin; his eyes closed he lost himself to his fantasy. When he felt pressure in his balls and knew he was going to come, he opened his eyes and looked down on himself. Instead of seeing thick, dark hair, he saw blonde bobbing up and down his length; a pair of blue eyes looked up at him and John smiled around his cock. That image broke Daryl, and he came, his body shaking and John's name falling from his lips.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kid's first day on the farm.

Chapter 17

 

Two weeks later, the farm was inundated with high school and college kids. John and Daryl decided that it would work best if all the kids showed up at the same time so they wouldn't have to re-assign anyone. Rick had tagged along with Carl and Judith just to help organize the kids and keep them in line. Daryl and John had worked with Rick for the past few days assigning a job to each hand, and they felt they had a pretty decent duty roster set up. Judith, Amy, and Denise were working in the farmhouse; cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry. Carl, Ron, Spencer, and Dwight were assigned to working in the barn and taking care of the animals; Aaron, Eric, Tara and Abraham would be working in the field.

Rick went with Carl and his group to the barn and spent the day showing them how to milk, feed, and clean them. The boys seemed to catch on pretty fast and by lunch time, they were a finely tuned machine. Daryl had taken Aaron and his group out to the field; he showed them how to seed and set the irrigation system. John took the girls into the farmhouse to show them around. Amy was already getting too close for comfort; wrapping her arm around his and giggling like a school girl at everything he said. He showed them around the kitchen and laundry room. Judith started in the kitchen; cleaning the counters and table while Denise began to plan for lunch. Amy decided to do some laundry and went upstairs to gather the clothes. She found John's bedroom easy enough and picked up the clothes off the floor and took the towels from the bathroom. She lingered longer that she should have, sitting on John's bed and looking around. When she heard heavy footsteps in the hallway and jumped up in time to grab the laundry basket and get to the door before the farmer saw what she was doing. 

"Hey Amy, thanks again for doing this. I'm gonna be out on the farm all day and won't have time to take care of this place. I really appreciate it." He tried to be nice and show her how much he valued her willingness to volunteer, without leading her on.

"It's a pleasure John. I'd do anything to help you. Don't be afraid to ask me to do anything around here; I'm always willing to help with whatever you need," she said and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.

**************************************************************************************************************************************

Lunch time came around quickly and everyone was more than ready for it. The girls had outdone themselves and the boys hovered around the pic nic table drooling. Daryl had given the girls the cookbooks Ms. Annette left him and they had chosen to fix fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and collard greens; Judith had made pitchers of sweet tea and lemonade. Daryl took his plate and circled the table, fully intent on sitting on the farmer's right side, until Amy popped up and took his spot. Rick and taken the spot on his left, which left Daryl in the spot directly across from John. He was fuming; she was leaning on the farmer, touching his arm, and Daryl didn't want to see that. He wanted to get back to work and forget about the display in front of him. John seemed uncomfortable with the attention and kept scooting closer to Rick. Daryl stared at John unconsciously, and the farmer could feel it. He looked up at Daryl and saw annoyance and anger on his face. He wondered if something had happened that he was unaware of, or if he had done something to piss off the other man. He would take time tonight to speak to him and get to the bottom of things; he wanted more than anything to see Daryl happy.

**************************************************************************************************************************************

In order to get his mind off the lunch disaster, Daryl snuck into the farmhouse and hid out in the spare bedroom. He took a small notepad from his back pocket and pulled a pen from his shirt. He looked over the plans he had already made for the camping trip. He wasn’t sure if John would still want to go, but Daryl kept planning; he hoped that this trip could be the new beginning that John said he wanted. 

After wasting a good amount of time, Daryl went back outside to help in the field. It's officially the hottest part of the day and soon the girls come out of the farmhouse bearing tea, lemonade, and ice cold water. They make their way around distributing the drinks and Daryl cringes when he hears Amy laugh. He knows better than to look up, but when he does Judith is standing in front of him holding out a glass of sweet tea.

"Are you alright Uncle Daryl? You seem like something's bothering you. Is there anything I can do?"

Daryl accepted the glass and drunk half of it before speaking. "Thanks Asskicker. Naw, I'm fine; it's just too hot and I'm not used to having this many kids around. Last time I was here with this many kids, I was one of them." he said, finally looking up and seeing Amy talking with John, Carl and Rick, and cackling like a witch.

"Ugh, I think I can figure out what's bothering you," Judith said, scrunching up her nose. "She thinks because she's in college she's better than us. She's been bossing us around all day; she's making up her own rules for the house, so she's the only one allowed upstairs. Told me and Denise that since we're still in high school we have to do more work than her because we have to earn her respect or some shit." 

Daryl gave her a stern look. "I don't care if you cuss around me, but your daddy ain't gonna like it, and I don't want to get in trouble when something slips out of your mouth." 

"I'm sorry Uncle Daryl, but it's the first day and I already can't stand that bitch. And look at the way she's all over Mr. Rollins. He's her boss for crying out loud. That's inappropriate, isn't it?"

"Yeah Asskicker, it is. I'm sure John will have some words with her. He just don't want to do it in front of anybody; he don't want to embarrass her. He'll probably talk to her after everybody goes home for the day."

"I hope so. I'm not taking her shit all summer." Judith said and stormed back to the farmhouse with her empty tray.

**************************************************************************************************************************************

At six o'clock that evening, the new farm hands left for the day. None of the kids had ever worked this hard before and were exhausted. The equipment was put away and the animals had been fed and watered and Daryl was locking up the barn. He was still thinking about John and how he allowed Amy to act in front of everyone. He was pissed that Amy felt she could assert herself like that; John didn't belong to him, but Daryl wanted him to, and he was determined to keep Amy away from him. Daryl finally walked into the farmhouse after sitting on the porch and smoking a couple cigarettes. He had made up his mind to confront John about the girl; surely John had spoken to her and set her straight, but he had to make sure.

"Hey Daryl, I'm fixing sandwiches if you want a couple. I'm too damn tired to do more than that." he said from the kitchen.

Daryl stood at the doorway leaning against the wall. "Yeah, that's fine. I don't think I could wait for anything else." He took a bag of chips from the counter and a couple beers from the fridge and sat at the table. When John sat across from him, Daryl looked at the man. He saw exhaustion and stress in his face, but John was happy by the way the day had gone; his tired eyes sparkled with hope for the farm. 

"We had a good day, didn’t we?" Daryl asked.

"Best day I've had in a long time. I feel like we accomplished something; we got a great bunch of kids, and I think the farm is going to be a success. I haven't felt this exhilarated in years," John responded with a smile.

"All that and you got a pretty, young blonde at your side too. Amy will make a great housewife." Daryl said, trying not to be too confrontational.

"Amy did a great job today. The house is spotless and all my clothes are clean. I could get used to that again, but I don't think she'd be a good housewife. They do that job for different reasons. That girl is just looking for attention." John said.

"Seems she got a lot of attention from you," Daryl said and shifted his eyes to catch John's reaction.

John stopped eating and looked at Daryl curiously. "She's just being friendly. She seems to be that kind of girl; bubbly and full of life. Mary was like that when she was young. A young man can get caught up in a woman like that."

Daryl didn't like the way that sounded coming out of the farmer's mouth, he had a fond look on his face and Daryl didn't know if it was fondness for his dead wife or a new girlfriend. "You know she treated Denise and Asskicker like shit today. I will not let her throw her weight around here like that. I don't give a shit if you're planning on fucking her, she does not treat other people like that. You need to speak to your girl John, and tell her public displays aren't appreciated during work hours."

John's mouth dropped open. He had never heard this kind of spite come from his friend. "Daryl? What the hell is wrong with you? I didn't know about Denise and Judith; they should have come to me and told me what she was doing. If it happens again I need to know. I'll talk to her tomorrow, and for your personal information, I do not plan on fucking her. I don't even know why you would think that I would want her like that. I told you before, she's not my type anymore. Get that through you thick skull."

Daryl was livid at this point. "Fine, you talk to her tomorrow and we'll see where that gets us. If I find out she still treating them bad after your little talk, then you and I are gonna have a talk." He stood from the table and walked out the door leaving his uneaten sandwich and empty beer bottle.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl has regrets, and pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who is reading and commenting on this story. I love reading your kind, and sometimes funny, words about the things that run through my addled brain. xoxoxoxo

Chapter 18

 

John was baffled by Daryl's behavior. He had to admit, he agreed with Daryl on every issue; from Amy's treatment of Denise and Judith to her public, and private, displays of affection for him. He appreciated what the girl had done with the house; he was sure it had never been as clean since the Greene's had lived there, but he didn't like the thought of her mistreating the others. Daryl was right, he needed to talk to her. Hell, he should have done that today when she took Daryl's seat at lunch. He had been looking forward to having the man sit so close to him; their thighs rubbing together. He was going to try to flirt with Daryl, badly he assumed, but at least make an attempt to subtlety let the man know how he felt. Not only had Amy ruined lunch for him, but something had pissed Daryl off. He could feel Daryl's eyes burning a hole in him and when he looked up at the man he was angry, John didn't know why, and hoped it wasn't something he had done, or not done. The rest of his day did not get any better. After lunch Daryl disappeared and John took his place in the field, while Rick continued to help in the barn. He didn't mind doing it, but after seeing the man at lunch he was worried. 

Daryl's reaction last night, threw John for a loop. He had never seen the man that angry, the way he talked about Amy almost sounded like jealousy. Daryl had to know that John wouldn't have been attracted to her, even if he was still looking at women. Amy did remind him of Mary; her youthful exuberance, her long, blonde hair, and her smile all made him think of his high school sweetheart and how wholly he had been in love with that girl. However, it was all but official now; John Rollins was only interested being with one person, and it wasn't a woman. He thought about the camping trip that was scheduled for this weekend and hoped Daryl wouldn't cancel it. When Daryl told him that Rick and Carl wouldn't be able to go with them because of a family reunion that weekend, he expressed regret, but his heart was jumping inside his chest. He wanted to use this private time to show the man how he felt and wanted to do something special for him to prove his feelings were real.

********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

John was drinking a cup of coffee on the front porch when Rick's squad car pulled up in front of the house. It was too early for the kids to be there just yet; the sun was only now breaking the horizon and the farmer was still in his sleep pants. "Hey Rick, what's going on. What brings you here this early in the morning?"

Rick shook John's hand and sat in the rocking chair next to him. "I'm looking for Daryl. Is he here yet? I need to talk to him. He called the house last night when I was in the shower; Lori said he sounded agitated and a little pissed off, so I thought I'd come by to check on him before y'all get started with your day."

John straightened his back and took a sip of his coffee. "He's not here yet. I haven't heard from him since he stormed out of here last night. He told me about what Amy did to Judith and Denise. I swear to God Rick, if I would have known I would have but a stop to it. He was really pissed about that."

"Judith told me about it last night. She wanted to strangle that girl."

"I'm gonna talk to her today about it," John told him.

"Good. If she don't stop it, Judith will have her head on a platter," Rick said, smiling. "Is that the only thing that happened? I can see why Daryl was pissed off about that; he thinks of Judith as his own, ya know."

"I can tell he's very protective of his little Asskicker," John replied and laughed. "Daryl was upset about Amy in general. The way she kept hanging all over me bothered him, I think. It's not appropriate, I know; I just don't know how to talk to her about that. I guess because I was letting it happen, Daryl thinks I'm interested in her."

"Are you?" Rick asked, concerned.

"Hell no," John replied sternly. "She is way too young for me. I've got at least fifteen years on her, and besides, even if she was my age, she's not what I'm attracted to anymore."

Rick raised his eyebrows at John's last statement. Well you better figure out how to break it to her then, or this summer is going to hell for you and Daryl both."

John agreed; he couldn't imagine spending the whole summer with Daryl shooting daggers from his eyes at him. "Not to change the subject, but I was sorry to hear that you and Carl won't be joining us on the camping trip this weekend. Daryl said you've got some kind of family thing going on."

Rick had no clue as to what John was talking about Daryl had never said anything about a camping trip to him, but played along anyway. "It's a family reunion; Lori's family. Haven't been in one place together for about ten years now. We've been planning this for months." 

"Maybe we can do another one in the fall and y'all can come. I'm excited about it. I've never been camping before and Daryl's gonna teach me how to hunt."

"That's great. He tried to teach me back when we were in high school. Apparently I'm too loud to be a hunter; I scared all the game away."

Both men laughed. "Man, I hope I can be quiet, didn't think about that."

"You'll be fine," Rick said and got up to leave. "If you see or talk to Daryl tell him I came by and I still want to talk to him."

"I sure will Rick. It bothers me to see him like that. I hope he's willing to talk to you about it, because I don't think he'll want to talk to me for a while."

********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Daryl opened his eyes and looked at the alarm clock next to his bed; eight o'clock it said. He groaned loudly, but didn't make a move to get out of bed. He put the pillow over his head and closed his eyes tight. For the first time in a month, he did NOT want to go to the farm. He had made a complete fool of himself last night and couldn't bare the thought of facing John today, or Amy for that matter. The farmer had promised he would talk to her today about her behavior, but just because John was talking didn't mean the girl would be listening. 

He knew all the kids would be at the farm by now, and he had a pang of guilt for not being there to help, but he was pretty sure John didn't want to see his face at the moment, so he decided to go to the diner for breakfast. He needed to touch base with Glenn also and today would be a great time to do that; it would hopefully get his mind off the farmer and help him forget his raging jealousy.

********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************   
The door chimed as he walked into T's and he went straight for a booth in the back; he didn't feel like having any social interaction at the moment. Soon Zach, one of the fry cooks came to his table. "Hey Daryl, how are you this morning?"

"I've been better man. How come Tyreese got you taking orders?"

The young man sighed heavily. "Since Judy and Amy are working on the farm now, we're shorthanded. I'm just glad we haven't been too busy this morning. Noah's been working the grill while I'm out here. We're gonna switch up for the lunch crowd. Tyreese has been helping out though, thank God."

"Hopefully he'll be able hire a few people soon."

"God I hope so; people are assholes," he said, making Daryl smile. "So, what can I get ya?"

"I'll have a couple scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast; keep the coffee coming."

"Yes sir, it'll be out in a minute." Zach turned his order in to the kitchen and Daryl pulled out his phone. He looked through his pictures until he found what he was looking for. It was a picture of him and John that he had taken while they were in Newnan. They were getting ready to go to the bar on their first night. Daryl was still amazed by how handsome the farmer was. He stared at the picture until he heard someone clear their throat. He looked up to see Carol standing there with two cups of coffee in her hand. "I thought you couldn't drink coffee?"

"I can if it's decaf. I don't have to enjoy it, but I can drink it," she said smiling.

Daryl laughed. "How are you? How's the baby? Are you still puking you guts out?"

"I'm feeling good. The baby is good, and I haven't thrown up in two days. That's why I'm here. I had to get out of the house, so I told Tyreese I'd work on payroll today. No physical stress and I get to sit down the whole time."

"Sounds like a good deal, pretty mama." Daryl said as Zach sat his breakfast on the table and refilled his coffee.

"I'm gonna leave this here for you," he said as he laid the carafe in the table. "When that's empty, let me know. I'll bring another one."

"Zach, have I told you lately how much I love you?" Daryl said, smiling.

"No, but don't say it out loud. I don't want to ruin my chance with the ladies," Zach replied and winked at him. When the young man returned to the kitchen, Carol started talking.

"So, why aren't you at the farm?" That woman didn't know how to beat around the bush.

"I don't think John wants to see me right now," he said.

"Oh Daryl, what did you do?"

He stuffed his mouth with eggs so he wouldn't have to answer right away. "I kinda flipped out on him last night."

"What? Why?" Carol exclaimed.

"Amy was bossing Denise and Asskicker around yesterday; it pissed me off, but that wasn't the real reason." Daryl hung his head as he continued. "That girl was hanging all over him; touching him and shit. It drove me crazy Carol. I just couldn't stand to see it. And he didn't even stop her. Fuck, everyone saw it. I told him he needed to talk to her, tell her to cut that shit out. I accused him of wanting to fuck her. God, I sounded so jealous; I ruined everything."

"What did he say?" She asked.

"He fucking defended her; said she reminded him of his wife. Pretty, blonde, full of life; I guess I just got jealous of her. I know now that he could never want me, or love me. That fucking hurts like hell Carol." His voice had become soft and quivering, and Carol reached her hand across the table and took hold of his. 

"Daryl, I am so sorry. You're sure there's something going on between them? Did he give you the impression that the loves her?"

"He said he didn't want her, but why in the fuck would he tell me if he did? No matter how inappropriate or awkward it is, it's his business. He owns the farm; he can run it however he wants too. He isn't obligated to tell me shit."

Carol squeezed his hand gently and wiped a baby tear from her eye before it could fall to her cheek. "You know how much I love you Daryl. I would give anything to spare you this. You don't deserve to go through this again."

"Thank you, but whether I deserve it or not, I got it." He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and threw a few bills on the table, then rose to leave. "Thanks for letting me vent. I wish I could say I feel better, but I really don't." Carol stood and hugged him tight.

"What are you going to do now?" She asked him.

"I need to go to the dealership, check on everything."

"I meant are you going back to the farm?" she asked as he stood at the door.

"I guess that depends on how I feel when I wake up tomorrow."


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl returns to the farm and he and John leave on their camping trip, but not without some conflict.

Chapter 19 

 

John was dreading the talk with Amy; he promised both Daryl and Rick he would do it, and he knew it needed to be done. If this would keep Daryl on the farm and close to him, it would be worth it. He still wasn't sure how to approach the subject with her though, and spent the entire day running scenarios in his head. He successfully avoided the girl for the most part; he stayed busy and brushed her off whenever she would try to talk to him. At the end of the day however, he knew he couldn't avoid her anymore.

"Amy, I think we need to talk," he said to her as she was gathering her things to go home.

"Sure John. What's on your mind?" She sat next to him on the couch; so close their thighs were touching, and it made him think of Daryl.

"I heard that you were a little bossy toward Judith and Denise yesterday. Is that true?"

"If that's the impression they got, then I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off like that. I'm older than them and more mature. I'm studying business management at school and thought I could use this experience to see whether I had it in me to be in charge, you know, delegate responsibility. I guess I need to work on my temperament, huh?"

"Listen," John responded, "I think you girls did a great job yesterday and today. Everything got done that needed to be and the place looks immaculate. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the hard work you've done around here, and I don't want to lose any of you because you can't get along."

"Okay, I'll work on it. I don't want to cause any conflict, and I like Judith and Denise; they're really nice. I wouldn't want to lose either one of them." She rubbed her shoulders against the man, reminding him of the other thing they needed to discuss.

"Uh, there's something else. I had a few people tell me they felt a little uncomfortable with the way you were acting around me. You know, the touching and stuff. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't do that anymore."

The young girl's face fell slightly, but then she smiled at the farmer. "I understand; I'll try to control myself," she said and winked at him. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"No," John answered. "I'll see you tomorrow. Be safe going home."

"I will," she replied. She didn't have a problem reigning herself in; in public anyway. At least now everyone recognized that John would belong to her very soon. 

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

Daryl returned to the farm the next day. The conversation he had with Rick last night, helped calm him down a bit, but he was still convinced that the farmer was falling for the young, blonde girl. Something his old friend said had run through his mind all night. Rick told him that John said Amy wasn’t what he was attracted to anymore; the farmer said the same thing to him after meeting Liza. He so badly wanted to believe that perhaps that meant John was attracted to him, but he wasn’t foolish enough to let that belief give him hope; he couldn’t abandon the man no matter how much he was hurting and decided to return to the farm.

Daryl was awkward and embarrassed in front of John, but the farmer gave him his space and looked at him with regret and sadness. He knew he should apologize to the farmer; he was wrong for what he said and the way he acted, but the word 'sorry' was difficult to form. He only interacted with the kids he was working with that day; he and John alternated stations so they could instruct the kids better, and John could get to know them. Luckily, Daryl wasn't subjected to Amy's presence; Asskicker told him that the girl had been very nice so far and had actually pitched in and cleaned the downstairs bathroom. 

As the day drew to a close and the new farm hands were getting ready to leave, John finally approached Daryl and asked him to stay for dinner. "Are you sure? Last time I nearly carved you a new asshole."

"I'm sure Daryl. I realized yesterday how important you are to this farm, not that I didn't already know, but not having you here was strange. I've gotten so used to seeing you every day that it made the day go by too slowly."

"Thanks John. I need to apologize to you. I was out of line and shouldn't have said those things to you; shouldn't have said those things about Amy. Forgive me, please?"

"Of course Daryl. I can't say I understand where all that came from, but I don't begrudge you an outburst here or there. But I have to say, you scared the shit out of me," John said as he and Daryl walked to the farmhouse. Daryl stopped before they went inside.

"I didn't mean to scare you; I don't ever want to do that. I promise it will never happen again."

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

Friday came quickly and Daryl showed up that morning with a truck full of camping supplies. John had been worried that he would cancel the trip because of the fight they had earlier in the week, and he almost did, but when the farmer expressed how much he was looking forward to it, Daryl conceded and kept their plans. He arrived at the farm the same time all the kids showed up. Maggie and Beth had arrived earlier, having volunteered to watch over the farm while the two men enjoyed their time away.

He watched as Amy pulled in and got out of her car. She was wearing a hot pink tank shirt and a pair of Daisy Dukes. Daryl was sure she was up to something and kept his eye on her until she disappeared into the farmhouse. He made the rounds and checked in on all the kids to make sure they would be good to go without him and John's expert instruction. When he was assured that they had it handled, Daryl walked to the house to retrieve John and his bags. Two duffels lay on the floor by the door and Daryl took them to the truck. When he returned, he yelled for John, but couldn't find him. He checked upstairs and both of the bathrooms, but no sign of the man. He moved to the back of the house and stuck his head out the back door and saw red.

John's back was against the brick wall, his hands on Amy's hips and her lips on his. Daryl angrily stomped back to the front of the house and out the door. He ripped John's bags from the bed of the truck and threw them to the ground. When John came around the side of the house he went to say good morning to the other man.

"Good morning Daryl," he said with a smile. "I can't wait to get on the road; I barely slept last night." He looked down and saw his bags on the ground. "You got my bags for me; thanks man. Let me give Maggie my keys and we can head out."

"Are you sure you still wanna go?" Daryl said, trying to mask the disappointment and jealousy in his voice. "Sure you don't have something better to stay home for?"

"No Daryl. I've been thinking about nothing but this trip since you mentioned it. I want to do this more than anything right now; I just need to get away from the farm for a couple days, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. If you're not back in five minutes, I'm leaving without you."


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One last bit of angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has four more chapters after this one. I keep trying to tell AO3 that, but it won't accept it. Let me know what you think

Chapter 20

 

It took an hour and a half to get to the campground, and it was the longest hour and a half of John's life. Daryl had not said a word the whole time, only to order breakfast in the McDonald's drive thru. John couldn't take it; something happened and it was the other night all over again, except this time, there was no yelling. Irritation was rolling off Daryl and it was suffocating the farmer. By the time they arrived at their destination, he was wishing he had stayed at home; he feared the weekend was ruined.

As soon as the engine cut off, Daryl was out the door, slamming it behind him. John reluctantly exited the vehicle also, and helped the other man unload the truck. The silent trip had taken its toll and John wouldn't survive the weekend if Daryl wasn't going to speak to him. His heart was ripping apart and it was his own fault. Even if it made the situation worse, he had to know what he had done. "Daryl, please tell me what I did. I can't stand this; I have a right to know what pissed you off." 

"You want to know why I'm pissed?" Daryl said aggressively as he rounded the truck to stand mere inches away from the farmer. "You're a goddamn liar; that's why I'm pissed! You told me you would talk to her; you were gonna tell her to stay away from you and keep her fucking hands to herself! You were gonna tell her the public displays were inappropriate and that she wasn't allowed to touch you again! You didn't do any of that, did you? You’re a lying piece of shit Farmer John!" Daryl turned around and continued to empty the bed of the truck. 

"I did talk to her Daryl. I told her that what she did made everyone on the farm uncomfortable and she had to stop. She agreed to keep her distance. She was really sorry about how she treated Denise and Judith too; even apologized to them."

"Do you think I'm a goddamn idiot? I fucking saw you kissing her out back of the house! You fucking had your hands on her! I'm not stupid and I'm not blind. Whether you talked to her or not, it doesn't matter; you've made your choice. But John, I'm gonna tell you something. You deserve better than her. She's too young to know how to be with somebody; how to support and love a person who needs those things. She's too young to focus on anything but herself and how other people see her. You need someone who understands you; someone you can connect with physically and emotionally. You just lost everyone you loved and you need someone who can relate to that and give you the comfort and strength you need. She's not that person." Daryl picked up his crossbow and strode toward the tree line.

"Why the hell does the prospect of me and Amy piss you off so much? Why the fuck do you care who I want Daryl?" John called to him from the truck.

Daryl stopped before he disappeared into the woods. "I don't; not anymore."

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

John sighed heavily and walked over to the pile of supplies Daryl had left on the ground. He sorted through them, trying to figure out what it all was and where it all went. His was pissed; at himself and Daryl. He hadn’t known that Daryl witnessed the kiss. John hoped that he could forget about it, block it out of his memory and have a wonderful weekend with the man he was falling in love with. He knew now that Daryl could never love him, and didn't know whether to blame Amy or himself. Maybe he never had a chance in hell without all that other shit. His new beginning was coming to an end pretty fucking quick.

As he went through the supplies, he separated the items the best he knew how. He could identify all the important pieces and noticed that Daryl had packed an extra crossbow and knives. John realized that he probably wouldn't be getting the hunting and tracking lessons Daryl had promised, and with sadness put those items back in the truck. He dragged the tent a few feet away and dropped it on the ground; going back to get the other one he noticed that there wasn't another tent in the pile.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

Daryl hadn't intended to run into the woods on the pretense of hunting, but spontaneity was not his strong suit. He immediately regretted walking away from John, but his anger was too much and he wouldn't have been able to control himself if he had stayed. His words would have become vile and he was afraid that he would have done something he would have regretted, mainly kissing the man square on the mouth and fucking him into oblivion. It was obvious that the farmer didn't want any part if that kind of shit.

He wasn't focused on the hunt, but still managed to bag three rabbits within an hour, and sat on the ground under the shade of a large Oak. He should have fucking cancelled the trip and spent the day shoveling cow shit; anything would be better than spending the weekend with the man he was falling in love with; a man who could never love him back. He was stuck here with John until Sunday; he considered leaving and spending the rest of his time in bed with Jack Daniels, but he couldn't leave John out here all by himself, Daryl wasn't that kind of person.

The kids seemed to have everything running smoothly, and in record time too. It took him and the others a good month before it became muscle memory. John was a good farmer too; he didn't need Daryl's help anymore. Daryl was positive that Maggie and Beth would be able, and more than happy, to help the farmer with anything he needed. He decided that when they returned, he would never set foot on that farm again.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enough bullshit. Let's get this party started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one, but I will post the next chapter tomorrow and the last two on Thursday. Enjoy my lovelies!!!

Chapter 21

 

Daryl cleared the tree line three hours later with five rabbits and six squirrels tied to his waist and hanging from his shoulders. John was sitting on the tailgate drinking a beer and smoking one of Daryl's cigarettes. The equipment that he had left piled on the ground was organized and the tent set up. The hunter felt the farmer's eyes following him as he dropped his kills and started skinning and gutting them. Neither of them said a word to each other; John drank his beer and watched Daryl do his thing. The man's actions were quick and sharp; it was obvious his time in the woods had not calmed Daryl down much. John wasn't angry anymore, just confused. He had done a lot of thinking while Daryl was on sabbatical and had questions that needed answered. When enough silence had passed, John decided it was time to get to the bottom of this shit.

"Where's the other tent?" He asked out of the blue, startling Daryl, who was attempting to build a fire.

"Where's what?" he answered as he put the meat on a makeshift spit.

"The other tent; there's two of us and one tent. Where's the other tent?" he asked, smirking. He was putting Daryl on the spot and he knew it. He had a theory as to what Daryl's problem with the situation was, and he was going to test it.

"That's the only one I could find; don't know what happened to the other one. Wasn't my intention to make you feel uncomfortable. I'll sleep in the truck bed; you can have the tent." His voice had become quiet, but still held the anger and fear from before.

"Alright," John replied and took a swig from his bottle. "You never answered my question, ya know."

"I just did fucker. You going deaf?" Daryl's voice became belligerent and he was growing uncomfortable with John's direction.

"Not that question Daryl." Hearing his name come from the other man's lips almost melted his resolve, but he stood firm in his anger; he wouldn't let the other man see how much this was hurting him. "Before you stormed off, I asked you why you have a problem with Amy and I being together. I know you think she's too young, but it's my life and I should have the right to be with whomever I want, right? I can't imagine you would deny me that." The farmer jumped from the tailgate and disposed of his empty beer bottle and grabbing another, along with another smoke from Daryl's pack.

"I never knew you smoked," Daryl stated, trying to avoid answering.

"I smoked in high school; quit when Mary got pregnant. It's just like riding a bicycle." He walked over to where Daryl was sitting on the ground monitoring their dinner. "Well?"

The hunter looked up at him and sighed. "I'm in no position to criticize you for who you love. No one can control who they fall in love with; I know that for a fact. I think you can do better is all. With what you've been through you need somebody whose gonna take the time to understand you and what you need. You don't need another Mary; you'll never heal that way."

John began pacing back and forth in front of the fire; his anxiety was growing and he had to stop this goddamn marry-go-round once and for all. "I'm going to say this one last time Daryl. I am not in love with Amy; I barely know her. I don’t want her; I don't want anything to do with her or anyone like her. She is not what I want anymore."

Daryl rose from the ground and faced the farmer. "That is the third time you've said something like that. What exactly is it that you want?"

John took a deep breath and steeled himself. "I want you Daryl." 

The hunter's eyes widened in surprise. His heart leapt into his throat, but he was scared that he had misheard the other man. "You what?"

"I want you Daryl; you were right. When you said I need someone who understands what I've been through, someone who I can connect with, and someone who wants to help me heal. You are the only one who fits that description, and that is what I need from you. I don't know anything about this kind of relationship, but I want to be with you, however that works. Fuck, I think I'm falling in love with you."

Daryl didn't say a word; his mind was reeling with what John had confessed to him. This had to be a dream; he fell asleep under that damn Oak tree and was dreaming. He reached out and caressed John's cheek, stepping closer into the man's personal space. "I am so fucking in love with you," he whispered and leaned forward touching the farmer's lips with his own. 

John didn't respond at first, as if he had forgotten how his lips worked, but with Daryl's gentle coaxing, he soon opened his mouth for Daryl to slide his tongue inside. The hunter cradled the man's face in his hands as the kiss became more passionate and John's hands went to Daryl's hips, holding on for dear life. Daryl walked John backward until the man felt the jagged bark of a tree against his back. Daryl broke the kiss and put their foreheads together. "I want you too," Daryl whispered and touched his lips to John's once again.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised, smut in the front and smut in the back.

Chapter 22

 

Daryl's hands were all over John's body; roaming and caressing. He lifted the man's shirt enough to feel his hot, sweaty skin. John moaned wantonly as Daryl devoured his mouth and his dick strained against his zipper, then Daryl wedged his leg in between the farmer’s and began to rub his own erection against the other man's thigh. John was breathless as Daryl's lips moved down his neck to below his ear. "Please let me touch you," Daryl requested.

"Oh God, yes," John replied and felt strong hands tug at the bottom of his shirt. The hands worked their way up his abdomen and over his ribs until they stopped at his nipples. Daryl pulled and tweaked them until John thought his legs would give out on him. Daryl then unbuttoned the other man's shirt and put his lips in them; kissing and licking each one in turn. His hands were at John's belt and he swiftly had it unbuckled and his fly open. John gasped loudly when he felt Daryl's hand grip his cock and he fell into the man, wrapping his arms around his neck. This was so much like his dreams, only better. 

"I want to touch you too Daryl, please can I?" John half begged. Daryl released his hold on the man and took a step back. John watched with lustful eyes as Daryl stripped in front of him. He reached out and placed his hand on the hunter's chest, and felt his heart beating like a racehorse. Daryl closed the gap between them and wrapped his hand around John's fully erect and leaking cock. The farmers head shot back, landing harshly against the tree, but he didn't give a fuck. He couldn't think as Daryl pumped his dick and squeezed the head. John blindly reached for Daryl's dick and his hand was filled with the man's silky hardness. 

Daryl's almost came just from the touch and he willed himself to stay together. John held on to him, his hand unmoving until Daryl's coaxed him. "Show me how you like it," the hunter said it a thick, low voice. "Show me how you like to be touched."

John tentatively moved his hand up and down Daryl's length, swiping his thumb across the slit and spreading pre come to the base. Daryl's head fell forward and his legs became jelly. His movements on John's cock stuttered, but he kept up the pace. They were moaning in sync and every time Daryl's hand would squeeze his tip, John would whimper breathlessly into his neck. "Come for me John. Let it go; I want to feel your come on my hand." John felt his orgasm building and released the hand on the man's dick to squeeze his neck. 

"Ah fuck," he moaned as he peaked and came on Daryl's hand; his body shaking and his legs nearly collapsing. "Daryl, I love you," the farmer confessed as he came down from the haze. Daryl propped John back against tree and jerked himself. John watching with hooded eyes as the man shot ropes of come onto his chest. When the hunter was empty, he gently took John into his arms and sat them on the ground.

Both men were panting, trying to find their breath; Daryl held the man tightly in his arms. "You know," Daryl began, "I've wanted you since I saw you chasing that goddamn rat in the barn." John looked up at him.

"You know, I jacked off in the shower, after we got back from Newnan, thinking about you." He placed his palm on Daryl's cheek and pulled him in for a sweet, soft kiss.

"Are you sure this is what you want? Are you sure you want me?" Daryl asked shyly.

"Yes, I'm sure. I was so confused for a long time, but Michonne and Andrea helped me figure out what I was feeling. I'm so sorry about what Amy did; when you stormed out that night, I thought I'd lost you."

Daryl sighed. "I’d decided to leave the farm. When I saw you kiss her, I was so angry; at her and you. I was going to cancel the trip until you told me how much you had been looking forward to it. I couldn't say no to you." They held each other little while longer, until John's stomach growled.

"Fuck, I forget about dinner," Daryl exclaimed and pulled them both to their feet. They redressed and walked to the fire pit. Dinner was quiet, neither man saying much, but they sat impossibly close, and took turns feeding each other like love-struck teenagers. 

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

After dinner, the sun began to set, and Daryl pulled John against him; the farmer’s back against his chest. Daryl kissed and licked John's neck as the sun dropped below the horizon. Once darkness set in, they moved to the tent; John had already set up the bed roll and pillows, and Daryl was impressed. "I thought you didn't know anything about camping?"

John laughed. "I spent ninety percent of the time you were gone fighting with this fucker to get it put together. I wanted you to know that I could do this. I thought maybe it would keep you with me if you felt I wasn't going to be a burden this weekend."

Daryl kissed him; with urgency and passion. "You are more than capable of doing anything you want to do. You're strong and determined; you don't have to do anything to keep me. I'm yours." The two men undressed to their boxers and climbed into bed. Daryl pulled John close and put his arms around him, laying the man's head on his chest. "I'm scared Daryl. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Everything about this is new to me. I don't want to fuck this up."

Daryl ran his fingertip down John's arm. “I know how scary it is. This was all new to me once too. Shane and I both made mistakes; some I wasn't sure we would come back from, but if you are truly in love with someone, you work together to understand those mistakes and learn how to prevent them in the future. This relationship won't be much different than what you've been used to; some of the dynamics are different is all."

"Different how?" John asked.

"Well, I'm sure that you initiated most of y'all's encounters when you were married, right?"

"Yeah, Mary wasn't assertive. She rarely started anything. When we had sex it was because I asked her."

"I am assertive; you probably figured that out already." Daryl said laughing. "I won't wait for you to tell me that you want me. I'll take you when I'm in the mood, as long as you are too. Some men are strictly bottoms or tops. Shane was a top, but I liked that about him. I was always happy to let him do what he wanted, but I feel comfortable either way. If you want me to be in charge, I will be; if you want to be in charge, then take it. I just want you to be honest and let me know what you want."

"Like I said, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm gonna let you take charge for a while."

"Sounds good." The hunter said and brought John's lips up to meet his. "I'd like to make love to you," he said. "If you're okay with that; if it's not too soon." John shuttered thinking about how it would feel to have Daryl's dick inside him.

"It's more than okay; just go slow, okay?" He said nervously, his face blushed pink.

"Of course. I'll get you ready; I don't want to hurt you." Daryl reached inside the front flap of his pack and pulled out a bottle of lube and a condom.

"You came prepared," John observed.

"I have to admit; this is why I suggested the trip in the first place. I hoped we would have been together for a while by this point."

"We're together now and I'm glad you were thinking ahead. I would never have thought to bring that." Daryl moved in front of John and pulled his boxers down his legs. The farmer was hard and leaking in anticipation. Daryl licked his lips and bent forward, taking John's hot length into his mouth. The man whimpered as Daryl sucked on the tip. "Fuck Daryl! Take it all, please."

"It would be my pleasure," he replied and slid his mouth down until he felt John hit the back of his throat. Daryl always loved sucking Shane's dick; the taste drove him crazy, but John tasted different, better even. He bobbed his head up and down slowly, not wanting to get John too close yet; he wanted to make the man come with his dick inside him. He blindly reached for the lube and drizzled some on his fingers. "Just relax John; close your eyes." Daryl told him, and when they were closed, he circled the man's entrance with one slick finger.

John moaned beneath him; he had never felt anything as wonderful as this. He whined and whimpered as Daryl's finger breeched his opening. The hunter moved his finger in and out slowly in time with his still bobbing head. When he inserted a second digit, John's hips bucked up, sending his cock further down Daryl's throat making him gag, but the farmer was deaf to anything other than his own cries. Daryl moved his fingers deeper until he grazed the secret spot hidden inside him. "Holy shit! John exclaimed. "What the fuck did you just do?"

Daryl let John's cock slide out of his mouth. "That's your sweet spot," he said with an evil grin on his face.

"Fuck yes it is. Do it again." John begged.

"Okay, but only one more time. I got to get you good and stretched out, and I'm don't know how much longer I can wait to be inside you." Daryl rubbed the spot once more, then began scissoring his fingers. After a few minutes, John was at his breaking point.

"Please Daryl, I'm ready. I need to feel you inside me." 

Daryl carefully removed his fingers and mouth from John's body and stood to remove his boxers. As he knelt in between the other man's legs, he unwrapped and rolled the condom down his length. "Are you sure you're ready for this? I can jerk us off again if you're not." John sat up and pulled Daryl into a kiss. "Just do it. You got me so close." 

He laid back down and wrapped his legs around Daryl. "If I hurt you, or do anything you don't like, you gotta let me know John." 

"I will Daryl, I promise. I trust you." Daryl lined up the head of his cock with John's puckered hole.

"Just breathe, and relax your body." Daryl told him, and the other man did to the best of his ability, the anticipation alone was driving him toward orgasm. His entire body was on fire and singing; he had never felt such desire and need in his life. 

Daryl slid in slowly; his breath hitching in short, labored spurts. "Fuck, John, you're so goddamn tight. You feel so goddamn perfect." He took his time, easing in; watching John's face contort in a mix of pain and pleasure. 

"Oh God Daryl! Fuck!" he cried as Daryl eased himself inside his tight hole. "Never felt anything like this before." The sensation of being stretched and filled gave John a sense of euphoria. He felt his orgasm building again and needed Daryl to make him come. "I don't think I'm gonna last."

"Just wait till I start moving." Daryl replied as he bottomed out. "You tell me when you're ready. Keep breathing and relax." John closed his eyes and concentrated on breathing in and out, allowing himself to relax around Daryl's cock. "Do it, I'm ready." Daryl slid out to the tip and began to move slowly and methodically, rocking his hips in a steady motion. John's breathing became ragged and he moved his hips up to meet Daryl's movements. "Tell me how it feels John."

"So good, shit! You're so big Daryl; feels so goddamn good." The farmer reached around and squeezed Daryl's ass and moved him in and out at a faster pace. 

"I love you John. Love the way you squeeze my dick." Daryl said and began stroking John in time with his thrusts. They moved and moaned in sync and their orgasms hit like a sledgehammer at the same time. Daryl collapsed on top of John, his body rising and falling with the movement of the man's chest. After some time, he let himself slip out and he rolled to the side. John rolled to his side, facing away from Daryl, who cuddled up behind him and pulled the man into his chest.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hunting adventure, and a conversation

Chapter 23

 

John opened his eyes the next morning and felt Daryl's hot breath on the back of his neck. He smiled and cuddled deeper into the man's strong arms, rubbing his ass into the hunter's morning erection. "Good morning to you too," a deep, sleepy voice said into his ear. Daryl ran his hand down Johns' chest to his hard length. "Hmmm, you ready to go again?"

John moaned and wriggled under Daryl's touch. "I'm always gonna be ready. Want you so bad."

"How do you feel? Are you sore?" Daryl asked and pumped John's cock slowly.

"Yeah, actually. It doesn't matter though; still want you."

"Nope, not gonna take your ass again so soon. Told you I wasn't going to hurt you. Let me jerk you, just like this. Then we can fix breakfast; I want to take you hunting today."

"Sounds good to me," John said and relaxed in Daryl's arms as the other man continued to move his hand up and down him slowly. "I never thought this could feel so good; you make it feel so good Daryl"

"I want it to always feel good; I'll do whatever you want to make you feel good," Daryl replied as he squeezed the tip of John's cock, and spread pre come down to the base. John moved forward, fucking himself into Daryl's hand, and backward, rubbing his ass against the man's erection. "Your gonna make me come doing that," Daryl said in the man's ear.

"Want to make you come Daryl," he replied as Daryl's hand increased its speed. The way John moved against him and hearing him moan Daryl's name, he knew he wouldn't last.

"Want you to come all over my hand John; I want you to watch me lick it off every finger." Daryl said in an attempt to make him come soon. The farmer gave one last grunt and spewed when he heard Daryl's words. The hunter followed soon after, releasing his orgasm all over John's pristine behind. Daryl held him in in arms and left a trail of wet open mouthed kisses along his jaw and neck. "We should go to the creek and get washed up." He said as he rolled over.

"No," John said smiling at him. "I want to wear you today; remind me how much you love me."

Daryl stood and stared down at the man. "You will always know how much I love you. I'll remind you every day; don't ever worry about that."

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

After a breakfast of leftover rabbit, the two men set out for the woods. Daryl had to show John how to load and hold the crossbow, and the man got the hang of it pretty quick. Daryl led the way and soon found an interesting set of prints. "I think it's a buck; a pretty big fucking buck," he said quietly.

"How can you tell that?" John asked, trying to be just as quiet.

"Whatever it is, it's got big feet; also the spacing between the front hooves and the back says it's a large animal, plus the tracks are deeper in the ground; that means it's pretty heavy." John looked down at the tracks and then back up at Daryl.

"I bet I could have figured that out on my own," he said.

"I don't think so," Daryl deadpanned, then blew a kiss to the man. "Come on let's keep walking. I'm gonna catch this sumbitch, and we're having venison tonight.

Three hours later, John had no idea where they were; they could be back at the farm for all he knew. He blindly followed Daryl, and was carrying the various squirrels and rabbits the man had killed while on the quest for his illustrious buck. Suddenly Daryl turned around and shushed him and pointed dead ahead. "It’s a fuckin' ten point. I haven't seen one of those since I was a kid." Daryl told him and John walked closer to see it. It was drinking from the creek, but aware of its surroundings. Daryl held up the bow and aimed it at the buck. "Don’t. Fucking. Move." he said, to John and the deer. Taking a deep breath, he released the bolt as he exhaled. It pierced the buck on the side and it took off like lightening. 

"What do we do now?" John asked.

"We follow the blood trail. Hopefully it pierced the heart and it won't get very far. You can help me carry it back to camp." Daryl smiled and walked on, leaving John alone and wishing they had brought the truck.

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The walk back to camp was more excruciating than John imagined it would be. The heat of the Georgia sun combined with a two-hundred-pound buck on his back had taken its toll, and he collapsed when they finally arrived back at the tent. "Are you happy now Daryl; I'm dead."

Daryl laughed out loud, "Damn, you sure are out of shaped for a farmer."

"Farmers don't haul two-hundred pound carcasses on their back for three hours, Daryl. That's what hunters do," he yelled from his prone position the grass.

"You didn't do all that by yourself; hell I carried it longer that you did pussy!" John groaned loudly, too physically exhausted to get up or say anything in response. "When I get finished here, we can go down to the creek. It ain't got no massage setting, but it'll make you feel better."

"You'll have to carry me," John answered.

"How about I drag you by the feet; would that work for you?" Daryl said, making fun of the other man.

"Shit yeah, that sounds good. Maybe I could sleep on the way."

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

By the time Daryl had finished with the deer, John could move well enough to make it to the creek on his own accord. His back and shoulders were so sore he had to get Daryl to help him out of his shirt, which didn't bother the other man at all. When John's flesh hit the cool water, he audibly sighed and let his body sink down. When he finally sprang back up out of the water, he looked around and realized there was something very familiar about this place.

Daryl suddenly emerged from beneath the water and grabbed John around the waist. "Holy Shit! You scared the shit out of me!" John screamed.

"I'm sorry baby; I didn't mean to scare you." he said and hugged the farmer closely.

"What did you call me?" He asked with a half grin.

"I called you baby, is that okay?" The hunter answered with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"It sounds so good coming from your lips, with your voice. Say it again."

"I love you baby," Daryl said and kissed John. It was at that moment John realized what was so familiar about the creek.

"I bet you've been here a million times," he said to the hunter.

"At least," Daryl answered. "Started coming out here when I was just a boy; when my daddy would be drunk, I'd run away to keep from getting a beatin'. This is where I always ended up. It's beautiful and peaceful; always forgot about the bad stuff. Shane and I came out here a lot after we started seeing each other."

"Is that why you brought me here? Because it makes you think about Shane."

Daryl huffed. "No, I don't think so. I hope not. Shane is gone, and I've got you now. Don't need any reminders of him; he's been in my head for ten years and I'm ready to let him go. You're in my head now, and my heart; no room for anybody else."

"I had a dream that you brought me here. It was the night of the bar-b-que at Rick's; you drove me here on our way back to the farm. You said you loved me; that you wanted to help me find myself. You jerked me off; made me come."

"You dreamt about me?" he asked incredulously.

John laughed. "That's not the half of it. I've jerked off in the shower more times than I can count thinking about you."

"I like hearing that." Daryl said and began kissing John's neck. 

"So, what's gonna happen when we get back to the farm?" John asked.

"What do you mean? You asking if I'm still gonna want to be with you?"

"No, not that. I'm just wondering if you're gonna want people to know about us. Do you think anybody will have a problem with it?"

Daryl stopped what he was doing. "Yes, I want everybody to know that we're in love with each other. And no, I don't think anyone will have a problem with it; except maybe Amy."

"Fuuuck," John responded. "I completely forgot about her." John whined and buried his face in Daryl's neck.  
“  
“Only thing we have to do now is make sure she forgets about you. Maybe we should make out in front of her." Both men laughed at Daryl's suggestion.

"That may not be a bad idea. When she realizes we're together, she'll leave me alone, right? I mean, she's not that dense, is she?"

"She's Andrea's sister; she has to have some smarts. Although, you wouldn't know it from the way she's been acting." Daryl looked into John's eyes and took a deep breath. "Why did you kiss her?"

John was embarrassed and didn't want to think about it, but Daryl deserved an explanation. "I was out back checking on the field out there; I was gonna ask Aaron and Eric if they could start getting it plowed up. She found me out there and started talking to me; asking if there was anything special that needed to be done while I was gone. We started walking back to the house and she gives me this shit about how she knew I told her no more displays in front of the other hands, and fucking backs me up against the wall, saying nobody could see us so it didn't apply to the rule. Next thing I know, she's kissing me and putting my hands on her. That must have been when you saw us. I'm gonna let her go when we get back home."

"You don't have to do that," Daryl said. "If she doesn't back off after we get back, then we can revisit that option. I don't want Andrea on my ass because you fired her sister."

"I honestly hope we don't have to fire her; she's great in the house. While we're talking about the house, would you ever consider living there, with me?"

"You want me to move in with you?"

"It makes sense, don't you think. You already spend most of your time there, and you've spent the night a few times. You don't have to; you can stay in the cabin if you want. It's yours after all."

"That cabin isn't mine; it was mine and Shane's. I can't live there; can't even look at it. Tear it down if you want to."

"Are you sure about that? That's a big decision Daryl. That cabin is a big part of your past."

"Yeah, and that part of my past is over, for good. I don't want to see that cabin again, and I don't want to talk about Shane. I want to help you deal with what you're going through, so you and I can move on together."

They had been in the water so long that their skin was beginning to prune. They walked out and dried off with the towels John had packed. As they got dressed and walked back to the campsite, they held each other's hand. "You've already helped me deal with what happened to Mary and the kids. I think we're both ready to move forward."


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys come home, have a little adventure on the road, and shock a lot of people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is the last chapter for this one. I would like to thank everyone who read, left kudos and comments, and bookmarked this little piece of work. Special thanks go to jsmith69 for her suggestions; the ending for this story came from her snarky, spiteful side. Thank you my dear for all the times you made me laugh out loud. I hope this makes you happy.

Chapter 24

 

Sunday morning came all too soon and the two lovers woke up in each other's arms. They kissed lazily and touched each other softly until the kisses and the touches became more heated. "Take me Daryl. I want to feel you inside me again." The hunter rose and went to his bag to retrieve the lube and a condom. "Don't use the condom; we don't need it. I want to feel every bit of you." Daryl's eyes became dark slits, and he put the condom back in the bag and slinked back to John. He crawled over the man's body and took his mouth in a crushing kiss. They rubbed their bodies together, licking and sucking bare flesh, leaving bruises in their wake. 

Daryl sat up and turned John over on his stomach. "I'm gonna fuck you baby. Tell me you want me to fuck you."

John was shaking and crying out; begging to be fucked. "I need you," he told Daryl. The other man leaned over him and spoke in his ear. 

"Ass up. I'm gonna fuck you and come all over you, and you're gonna wear me all day. You're gonna smell like me, and Amy is gonna know that you're mine." He lubed up two fingers and circled John's hole. "Tell me if I hurt you, or if I do something you don't like. I'll stop, I promise."

"I will, I swear. Please, I want you to fill me up." He quivered on his hands and knees, and inhaled sharply when he felt Daryl's digits invade him. He pumped in and out, scissoring his fingers to stretch the farmer out. Daryl moved his hips, rubbing his hard cock against the other man's balls as he stirred. John moaned under him and pushed back onto Daryl's fingers as they scraped against his prostate. Daryl's cock was steel and leaking, and he ached to be inside his lover. 

"Are you ready?" Daryl asked fiercely.

John couldn't speak, but keened animalisticly, and lowered his head on the pillow. Daryl removed his fingers and immediately lined himself up. He wasted no time in pushing his long cock inside the other man; both of them howling in rapture as the tightness and the stretching took them higher. Daryl pounded into him, hitting the man's prostate hard and with every thrust. Between the sweltering heat in the tent and the physical exertion, both men were drenched with sweat and cursing under their breath. Daryl gripped John's hips and held them, causing finger-shaped bruises to form, and drove himself deeper into the other man. 

John was begging to come; begging for Daryl to touch him. The hunter reached around and took the farmer's cock tightly in his hand; he pumped up and down, squeezing the tip at every up turn. Daryl pulled John up against his chest and whispered lascivious words in his ear until his body tensed and the farmer came, shooting thick ropes of hot come all over his hand. Daryl continued to thrust aggressively until he felt himself begin to release; pulling out quickly, he spread his load over John's beautiful, pale skin.

Daryl rolled onto his back. John's eyes were closed; the look on his face was pure bliss. Daryl smiled and caressed the man's cheek with the back of his hand. "Was that okay?" he asked. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Fuck yes," John replied, his eyes still closed. "What time is it?"

Daryl looked at his watch. "Fuck! It's ten thirty; we need to get the fuck home."

"Do we have time for breakfast? I'm starving." John said and rolled onto his side. Daryl stood up and started getting dressed.

"No, we gotta take the tent down and pack all this shit up. There's a truck stop off the highway; we'll stop and have lunch. I'll make sure my little farmer gets fed."

John sat up, his back sticky with dried come. "Isn't that sweet; my little hunter wants to provide for me." Both men laughed, kissed, and prepared to return to civilization.

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The truck stop was crowded, but the two men were able to find a two-person booth in the back corner. They held hands and played footsie under the table while they waited for their food to arrive. Neither of them payed attention to anyone else in the room as they stared at each other and declared their love in whispers. Daryl and John were starving, and cleaned their plates in record time; they even ordered a piece of peach coblbler each for dessert. When they climbed in the truck to leave, Daryl hesitated before he turned the engine on. "John, I want to tell you something. I don't think it's gonna matter now, but I just want you to know."

John looked at him curiously, and gave Daryl his undivided attention. "I didn't ask Rick if he and Carl wanted to come with us this weekend. I just said I would so you would feel more comfortable. I didn't think you'd want to be stuck out in the woods with me, ya know, you not being gay and all. I talked to Rick the night before I came back to the farm and he said you told him that you were sorry they wouldn't be able to make it. I didn't mean to lie to you, I just wanted to spend time alone with you; have the place to ourselves. I hoped that we could use that time to get to know each other better." 

John put his hand on Daryl's shoulder. "I was secretly hoping they wouldn't be going either. I was kinda happy to hear that they wouldn't be there; that it would just be the two of us. No need to apologize; everything worked out the way we wanted it too, didn't it?" Daryl nodded and put his hand on John's knee. "We have a little time to spare; why don't you pull the truck around back, somewhere no one can see us?" 

Daryl quirked his eyebrow at the man, but did as he asked. He parked the truck between two gigantic semis’. John unbuckled his belt and moved over on the bench seat closer to Daryl. "I want to do something, if it's okay with you." Daryl ran his fingers through John's hair. "I'm never gonna stop you from doing what you want to do."

John reached down under Daryl's seat and eased the seat back, and unbuttoned the man's pants. Daryl helped him, pulling them down below his ass. "I don't know how good at this I'm gonna be, but I want to do this for you, if it's okay?"

"Shit John, you don't ever have to ask, and I have no doubt you'll be good at this. You've been amazing at everything so far." He pulled John's face to his and kissed him. "I can't wait to feel your mouth on me."

John lowered his head and licked Daryl's slit, then took the tip into his mouth. The hunter's hands went back into the other man's hair and he held on tight. The farmer sucked gently and swirled his tongue; Daryl's hand pushed him down further until he heard John gag. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Don't take more that you can; use your hand and jerk me at the base." John looked up at him and nodded his head, his hand wrapping around the other man's length. He bobbed his head slowly and Daryl sighed contently above him. The hunter kept his fingers in John's hair and moved him up and down as far as he could go. "Fuck, you're good at this baby. It's been so long since I felt someone's mouth on me. Feels so good; I love your mouth."

John continued at this pace until Daryl felt like he was being tortured. "Can you go faster John? I can feel it; I need to come." John hummed around him, not realizing what the consequences would be. Daryl began to buck up into the farmer's mouth, still holding his head. "Can I come in your mouth baby? Please say yes." John looked up at him once more and nodded; the sight of his dick moving in and out of the other man's mouth ended him. He shook as he spilled down John's throat. The other man sputtered a bit, but was able to take most of it down. 

When Daryl stilled, he helped John sit back up in the passenger's seat. Reaching over to open the glove box, he pulled out a napkin and gave it to the other man. "Goddamn John; that was amazing. Can't believe that was your first blow job."

John grinned as he wiped the come from his chin. "I didn't think I would enjoy something like that, but I did. I think I need a lot of practice though; is that okay?"

"Good lord," Daryl responded as he tucked himself in and started the truck. "Another question you never need to ask."

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When they arrived at the farm, there were only a few kids working. They didn't require an entire crew on Sundays, so only half the farms hands had driven in. They all walked to the truck when they heard it pull in and started unloading the bed. The door to the farmhouse flew open and Amy came running out and jumped into John's arms. "Oh, I'm so glad your back. I missed you. You smell so good, what is that?"

Daryl walked up next to them and cleared his throat loudly. "That would be me Amy; all over him. Now, I suggest you back the fuck away from him or I will have someone escort you off this farm." The girl looked at Daryl, shocked by his words; then she looked at John who was blushing a sunburnt shade of red. She put her feet back on the ground, but made no move to back away. "I told you to back the fuck up," Daryl reiterated, and with her eyes wide and her jaw on the ground, she finally moved back to stand by Judith. 

Daryl immediately stepped into her spot in front of John and took the man by the hips, pulling him close and kissing the ever loving fuck out of him in front of everybody. Judith smiled big and bright at her uncle and his new love. "But . . . but . . .John's not gay." Amy announced. 

Judith turned to her. "He is now, bitch," she stated plainly and punched the other girl flat in the face, knocking her to the ground. Turning back to the men, she smiled sweetly at her Uncle Daryl. "That's what you get, bitch," she mumbled under her breath.

 

 

The End


End file.
